Tesco Pharmacy - when polite is not polite

HampshireH

Cannot see the issue with the signs at all. Tesco obviously don't have an issue either else they wouldn't be there.

They are all informative. Personally I don't feel the need for more than 1 of each but perhaps they do.

MattMattMattUK

Having seen how the public treat retail (and hospitality) staff in current times I am not surprised that they have felt the need to notices up. A couple of weeks ago I felt the need to intervene when a customer was abusing a staff member in Sainsbury's, the staff member was looking very worried and the woman would not stop screaming at her, I asked the staff member if they were ok, they said they were concerned so I stood with them until more staff arrived. The screaming woman then directed some of her aggressive tantrum in my direction, but being a 6ft 2in tall, well built and physically capable man I was not overly concerned for my safety (especially compared to the 5ft 1in all, slightly built staff member who was being abused). After what was probably only a minute, but felt more like 3-4, several staff arrived, followed a couple of minutes later by security who removed the woman having the tantrum from the store. I also know from pubs and bars that I drink in and know the staff that there has been a huge increase in the number of abusive customers they are facing, these are pubs that previously might have only had one incident a year and they are now becoming almost a weekly occourence. 

A significant minority of the population see to have turned into absolute a**holes and have made themselves very visible, it is a sad deterioration of society. 

rach_k

I think you should amend the title to "Tesco Pharmacy does not want abusive customers".

If you aren't planning to be abusive, there is nothing wrong with the signs other than some typos - hardly the worst crime.  

If they didn't have the sign about it being 10 working days, you'd be moaning that they didn't inform you.  They can't win with some people.  

Exodi

Unkdb said:

I am appalled at this passive aggressive signage plaster all over the screens at the Didcot Tesco Pharmacy.

whilst I sympathise with them regarding their workload (the Sainsbury’s pharmacy has recently closed) these are obviously not official Tesco signs and I imagine have been created by the staff themselves. Had Tesco created the signs, they would have gone through formal copy review to ensure they were not putting themselves at legal risk or harming their brand. Imagine what it would be like if the fruit & veg team started putting up signs saying not to complain about the lack of bananas.

Yeah sorry, but I'm yet another that does not see what the issue is.

Rather than be angry, I'm saddened that they need to put up signs asking customers not to abuse their staff. I always have the deepest appreciation for people that work in customer-facing roles, the public can be absolute [word not appropriate MSE].

I'm really not sure about your point regarding Tesco putting the signs through 'formal copy review' - you'll find signs asking the public not to abuse staff prevalent in many different industries (I've seen them in banks, post offices, etc). I doubt Tesco disagrees with the pharmacy asking the public not to abuse them.

Your example should be more like "imagine if a few customers decided to throw tomatoes at the staff if they were unhappy with the fruit and veg selection, and the grocery team put up signs asking customers not to abuse staff".

Unless your issue is with the 10 day lead time - would you rather they did not inform customers of the extended wait time? I have a feeling that would probably cause more complaints...

ComicGeek

While there's no excuse for abusive behaviour, there is a huge amount of anxiety at present around medication. I have to pickup prescriptions for my chronically ill wife on a weekly basis, and quite often have to visit 2/3 pharmacies trying to hunt down key medications due to staff shortages closing pharmacies at short notice, pharmacies not placing orders in time, deliveries not being made, or general product shortages. 

It's probably the most stressful thing I've ever known, desperately trying to hunt down medication. Some pharamacists are brilliant and work really hard, normally making themselves really ill in the process - others are really dismissive, and just don't care. 

Not condoning any abusive behaviour, but see a lot of people in tears/panicking when their medication isn't available and they have a genuine need. A bit of staff training would go a long way to deflate issues before they escalate - the local approach of sticking an untrained 16 year old on the front desk just doesn't work (not least because watching them count out the coins given and then working out change is painful!).  

Exodi

ComicGeek said:

While there's no excuse for abusive behaviour, there is a huge amount of anxiety at present around medication. I have to pickup prescriptions for my chronically ill wife on a weekly basis, and quite often have to visit 2/3 pharmacies trying to hunt down key medications due to staff shortages closing pharmacies at short notice, pharmacies not placing orders in time, deliveries not being made, or general product shortages. 

It's probably the most stressful thing I've ever known, desperately trying to hunt down medication. Some pharamacists are brilliant and work really hard, normally making themselves really ill in the process - others are really dismissive, and just don't care. 

Not condoning any abusive behaviour, but see a lot of people in tears/panicking when their medication isn't available and they have a genuine need. A bit of staff training would go a long way to deflate issues before they escalate - the local approach of sticking an untrained 16 year old on the front desk just doesn't work (not least because watching them count out the coins given and then working out change is painful!).  

It seems quite a circular point then, because the underlying cause seems to be (lack of) staffing and the effect seems to be (some reprehensible) customers abusing staff.

Obviously as pharmacies become synonymous as places to work if you want old people to throw wobblies at you, no-one will want to work there except short term 'untrained 16 year olds'.

I suspect either the cost of a prescription needs to go up, or the government needs to increase subsidies to pharmacies to make the job worth it.

It's already a delicate service, and older people (which is the general demographic) aren't renowned for their patience.

Albermarle

I suspect either the cost of a prescription needs to go up,

NHS prescriptions are free for people in NI, Scotland and Wales and free for everyone over 60, full time students and some people on low incomes. Plus certain drugs are free such as contraceptive pills, insulin etc 

So approx 90% of NHS prescriptions are not actually charged for, so unlikely that increasing the cost for the 10% would have any effect.

maisie_cat

I suspect those signs are made in the store, our local store has home made laminated signs that make no sense in various places. 

sheramber

Bad spelling and lack of grammar are a reflection on the current state of our education.

Kids  are batter at texting than writing in correct English.

The_Unready

sheramber said:

Bad spelling and lack of grammar are a reflection on the current state of our education.

Kids  are batter at texting than writing in correct English.

Oh dear 😁!