Is a pharmacy obliged to provide a service?

[Deleted User]

My local pharmacy is closed from last Wednesday to next Tuesday due to lack of Pharmacist
I am stuck without vital blood pressure tablets and may have to go to A&E for drugs if they remain closed any longer 
My GP surgery is obviously closed on Monday
I do not have any alternative pharmacy that I can change to at short notice 
I thought that Pharmacies were obliged in law to provide a service or risk losing their licence? 
Why couldn't they have employed a stand in /Temp? 

tacpot12

I can't answer your specific question, but it sounds like you need to call your GP for advice today.

Carrot007

NHS 111 will tell you what pharmacies are open or tell you what to do otherwise.

Your pharmacy will have cleared this with the relivent bodies. (unless sudden illness has caused it adn they are a one man band).

Better hurry up if you need it before Monday!

cajef

Phone your GP for a prescription today, from a previous thread you appear the have a car so can't you drive to an alternative chemist tomorrow and get your tablets there.

[Deleted User]

I have enough to last me until next Tuesday but was considering using one of those "drugs by post" services in future because of this
But a pharmacy Should remain open for dispensing drugs for 40 hours per week according to regs

Carrot007

Deleted_User said:

I have enough to last me until next Tuesday but was considering using one of those "drugs by post" services in future because of this
But a pharmacy Should remain open for dispensing drugs for 40 hours per week according to regs

So if they have a leaking sewer pipe then they should still let people in?

Do you know why they are closed?

lisyloo

You should get a little more stock in especially if they are vital.
My GP has renewal limits but they do allow some stock to be gathered for holidays or other times when you can't get them.
So for example a 6 months prescription is available after 5 months, so I can build up an extra months stock.
Many pharmacies deliver so a regular delivery might be an option for you.

cajef

Deleted_User said:

But a pharmacy Should remain open for dispensing drugs for 40 hours per week according to regs

I am not sure what you expect them to do, if there are no chemists available then there is no one qualified to dispense prescriptions there is a pandemic at the moment and even hospitals are understaffed I have had two appointments cancelled.

When I ran out of blood pressure tablets a couple of years ago and I rang my GP he said don't worry nothing is going to happen if you miss a couple of days.

donnac2558

The one around from my aunt had to close as they could not get a temp pharmacist last year. It took them a few days to get a temp.  Not sure if you notice but many chemists the pharmacists move around.    There is a massive shortage of pharmacists

If no pharmacist in the chemist working they have to close.  Of course, none prescribing ones do not need to close.

provista_2

There is a massive shortage of pharmacists in community pharmacies at the moment as many have left the profession or moved into doctors surgeries.

The pandemic has really focused the minds of all concerned in pharmacies as the public have been just awful and blaming them for doctors not seeing patients. 

I can see this as an ongoing problem with dispensers and pharmacists leaving in droves.

elsien

Deleted_User said:

My local pharmacy is closed from last Wednesday to next Tuesday due to lack of Pharmacist
I am stuck without vital blood pressure tablets and may have to go to A&E for drugs if they remain closed any longer 
My GP surgery is obviously closed on Monday
I do not have any alternative pharmacy that I can change to at short notice 
I thought that Pharmacies were obliged in law to provide a service or risk losing their licence? 
Why couldn't they have employed a stand in /Temp? 

You have enough medication till Tuesday. You can contact your GP then for an urgent prescription and go to an alternative pharmacist to collect it. Or phone the out of hours GP service if you really must. 
I really can't see any need to go to A&E, particularly over a bank holiday weekend when it's likely to be rammed with real emergencies.