Has anyone obtained good service from an On-line Chemist?

peter021072

Has anyone obtained a better service from on-line Chemists compared to the local Chemist? 

My Practitioner prescribed 4 items 11am Tuesday suggesting they should be in the allocated Chemist later that day. I grinned to myself, no way.  So I waited 3 work days to allow the time for ordering and arrival. These were prescription but non specialist items which should be easy to obtain.  This morning (Friday) two of the four items were there, unpacked of course. They said that other two items will be should be here on Monday.

Do they have a stock control system worthy of the name, or do they only check to see if items are available once the customer turns up rather than once the signed prescription from the GP is with them?  

This makes me wonder if an on-line chemist would be more efficient. Presumably they have more comprehensive stocks and stock control must be a key factor in their business.  However I've heard bad reports about items not turning up on time which would be no worse. In fact, this local chemist specifically placed a notice up to dissuade us from using on-line chemists.

My main experience on-line is for consumer items which has been very good, and prescription vet medications, which have had mixed results, but no worse lead times than this local chemist.

DullGreyGuy

So you mean pharmacist? As in someone who can dispense controlled medicines from a prescription rather than a shop for cosmetics, OTC medicines etc.

Haven't used them for NHS prescriptions but have had good service from https://www.signaturepharmacy.co.uk/ for private prescriptions and notably cheaper than Boots and others were for them (obv not a consideration for NHS)

olgadapolga

Currently using Chemist4U. Delivery via Royal Mail. No issues so far. Repeat prescription that I ordered from GP will be here tomorrow according to Royal Mail. 

peter021072

So you mean pharmacist? 

Yes, important I get the terminology correct as I've been looking through the trustpilot ratings.

olgadapolga said:

Currently using Chemist4U. Delivery via Royal Mail. No issues so far. Repeat prescription that I ordered from GP will be here tomorrow according to Royal Mail. 

So what is the exact procedure, do you just ask the GPs practice to automatically send the prescriptions to an on-line pharmacy instead of a specified local chemist and the medicines arrive within 2 days or so without doing anything else, or do you have to order them separately?   

What happens with payment; presumably if you qualify for free medicines from the local chemist with a prescription they are free on line as well?  What about postage?

olgadapolga

When you sign up to them, the pharmacy will link your account to your GP (which changes your nominated pharmacy). I then request the medication through the NHS app/GP online account. GP approves the request and the pharmacy retrieves/receives it. They send it out to you. That's it. Job done.

The most recent ones that I ordered on Tuesday were delivered today. The shortest period between ordering and receiving was three days.

The only slight problem is that ad-hoc (non-regular) prescriptions go there as well but I think that any pharmacy can access the prescriptions so you could in theory just ask at a local pharmacy for it, or ask your GP for the physical paper prescription.

With regards to payment, I get free prescriptions so just had to give the pharmacy the relevant information about my exemption when I created my account.

Postage is free. The prescriptions I've had delivered have been sent via RM Tracked 48.

Both the pharmacy and Royal Mail like to send emails about it though 😕

peter021072

olgadapolga said:

When you sign up to them, the pharmacy will link your account to your GP (which changes your nominated pharmacy). I then request the medication through the NHS app/GP online account. GP approves the request and the pharmacy retrieves/receives it. They send it out to you. That's it. Job done.

The most recent ones that I ordered on Tuesday were delivered today. The shortest period between ordering and receiving was three days.

The only slight problem is that ad-hoc (non-regular) prescriptions go there as well but I think that any pharmacy can access the prescriptions so you could in theory just ask at a local pharmacy for it, or ask your GP for the physical paper prescription.

With regards to payment, I get free prescriptions so just had to give the pharmacy the relevant information about my exemption when I created my account.

Postage is free. The prescriptions I've had delivered have been sent via RM Tracked 48.

Both the pharmacy and Royal Mail like to send emails about it though 😕

Sounds good.

However, typing in my recent 4 medications into Chemist4U search box, doesn't come up with a single one, so perhaps they aren't as common as I thought.  Presumably, they aren't limited to their own list, & will access less standard medicines from the same sort of wholesalers as my local pharmacy, with an associated delay?