When is a pharmacy not a pharmacy? (Sainsbury's)

[David Mc]

So I left my smoking cessation group therapy session selfishly early because my prescription had run out and I didn't have a Champix tablet to take on Wednesday morning and left in time before the chemist at Goose Green shut.

On the way down Dog Kennel Hill I had the stupid thought of going to Sainsbury's which has been claiming to have a pharmacy since its refurb.

Turns out their licence to dispense on the spot hasn't been granted yet. I waited for manager to complain but "Louis" didn't turn up before I needed to leave to get to the "proper" pharmacy at Goose Green.

"Louis" didn't bother to call me on the mobile number I left at customer services so I called back later and spoke to the duty manager. He said they are allowed to call themselves a pharmacy because they can get you your medication the next day. He said it was legal.

I want to go to Trade Descriptions. Anyone know if he's telling the truth and whether I'd be wasting my time?

[spadetownboy]

why dont you stop wasting everybody elses time and in future ensure you get your perscriptions organised so that you dont run out and you have stock available.simple isnt it.

[Brendan]

Erh herm! Am I wrong in assuming that if someone who is in need of medication on the spot they should generally be able to rely on a pharmacy to provide it for them?

[SeanMacGabhann]

I would treat a supermarket's pharmacy much as I would their "butcher" section - ie - it isn't

[David Mc]

spadetownboy - the prescriptions are organised by the clinic which my GP referred me to - not by my GP. I don't have control over when they issue them. Thank you for your helpful comments. My post was about Sainsbury's "pharmacy" not being a proper pharmacy - not about my ability to organise my life. So why don't YOU stop wasting everyone else's time and go back under your stone? I'm off to look for any "ignore" or "block" this user option...

[Jeremy]

But what would be the point of complaining? It's not as if they are going anything about it...

[Ultraconsultancy]

Jeremy the point of complaining is that it does eventually [along with all the other annoying plaintiffs] get things changed. But you should always make sure you're talking to the person who can change it, and not make it personal. All the time I worked in retail I loved sorting out complaints from my customers; a bit of spice in among the mundane stuff.

[Jeremy]

Complaining is all well and good when it's possible that something will get changed as a result. But it's pretty obvious that Sainsbury's predicament is not by choice.

[SeanMacGabhann]

if the license is imminent I can't see any reason to complain - it's not going to make the license appear but it is good to see Ultra show the positive side of complaining when things can be changed

I've just had one of the most painful months of my life (with regard to customer service that is) thanks to Orange who admitted the problem I had was experience by many other customers but a) noone really knew what to do b)told me there was no point in complaining c) offered to escalate to another team who couldn't do anything about it either

In the end I found a way to fix it myself - lord help anyone else in the same situation

[spadetownboy]

David Mc Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> spadetownboy - the prescriptions are organised by

> the clinic which my GP referred me to - not by my

> GP. I don't have control over when they issue

> them. Thank you for your helpful comments. My

> post was about Sainsbury's "pharmacy" not being a

> proper pharmacy - not about my ability to organise

> my life. So why don't YOU stop wasting everyone

> else's time and go back under your stone? I'm off

> to look for any "ignore" or "block" this user

> option...

maybe you want to go and complain to the clinic then,and ask them to get their act in gear.and to answer your question yes sainsbos is a proper pharmacy it dispenses medication so stick that in your pipe and smoke it,oh sorry i forgot you,re trying to quit.

[SeanMacGabhann]

geez lew eez what's gotten on your goat today spadetownboy? You sound less chilled than someone trying to give up smoking who can't get his meds ;-)

So to clarify the topic - Sainsbury's is close to being a dispensing chemist but isn't yet because it's hasn't received it's license - is that the sum of it?

[Brendan]

You work at Sainsbos Spadetownboy?

[Keef]

Although not the most convenient, surely if they can get you your meds the next day, they are a pharmacy... A photo shop is still a photo shop, even if they don't do 1 hour prints.

Pharmacy

The art of preparing and dispensing drugs

Doesn't say anything about on the spot.

[David Mc]

That was essentially their argument - if they'd claimed to be a "dispensing chemist" before the licence arrives they'd have been in breach of trade descriptions.

You've answered my question. Thank you. It's given me yet another reason not to go and shop there any more.

Keef - I'm not TRYING to quit - I HAVE quit!!! Champix and the group up at Windsor Walk have been (and are) enormously helpful. I'd recommend it/them to anyone wanting to quit.

[spadetownboy]

no i dont but to answer one of your earlier questions it is generally assumed that pharmacies dispense meds there and then on the spot and obviously the ability to do so is good for business, however it is not an obligation and it is fairly common practice for perscriptions to be left and collected in the following days especially repeat perscriptions which this one obviously was so i,ve said it before and i,ll say it again maybe davy mc wants to go and complain to those who issue his scripts so that his supplies remain constant rather than running out and then making a pointless issue about sainsburys inability to give him the tablets there and then

to answer your question sean im as chilled as a glass of crisp chardonnay, the problem i have with this post is im sick to death of people whinging about this that and the other and that everything that happens is someone elses fault except theirs. this david mc chap has obviously went to sainsburys to get a perscription cashed in and when told he cant pick it up until the following day because they havent yet got the appropriate licence to dispense he decides this isnt good enough and its all sainsburys fault,creating a fuss in the shop isnt going change anything,they havnt got the licence they havnt got it,bite the bullet,store it in the memory bank for next time and move on. hes got no-one to blame except himself.

[TillieTrotter]

Can we have a bit of structure there please Spadetownboy. Its horrible to read a big lumpy mess like that!;-)

How do you get this Champix then David, my doctor isnt doing it yet!!

[SeanMacGabhann]

Ah but sure we're all partial to a bit of a whinge once in a while are we not spadetownboy? I could, for example, complain about how some people never take the time to create proper sentences with Capital Letters etc ;-)

You've been around this place long enough to have come across Dave Mc before and he doesn't strike me as an inveterate moaner so I would cut him some slack on this one.

Although your basic point "people whinging about this that and the other and that everything that happens is someone elses fault except theirs", on a general level, is one of my pet peeves too. But I don't think it applies in this case

[scor46]

This is the best thread i have ever read... im in tears. Carry on boys this is better than watching Tommy Cooper at his best...

[Brendan]

Internet forums have given everyone with a computer a voice. As is human nature we have chosen to use that voice to moan about things. Even if it is moaning about people moaning.

[spadetownboy]

stuff this im off for a fag,anyone care to join me.

[David Mc]

Change GPs! They should all be offering it. They are positively pushing it at the clinic at Windsor Walk. You may not need a GP's referral to go there - call them and see - speak to Geraldine on 7848 0054 (http://www.slam.nhs.uk/services/pages/detail.asp?id=616). You do need to live in Southwark I think. Like many NHS resources they are understaffed and you may need to leave a couple of messages before they get back to you - but persist and they will.

To others criticising them and/or me - my situation was complicated by the fact that it's a 7-week course at the clinic (longer on the medication) and I was on holiday last week.

They have an unbelievable amount of admin to do before each session starts* and not everyone on the course can turn up at 5pm on the dot. I'm just glad they managed to get my pREscription sorted out in time even though Sainsbury's couldn't deliver when I (wrongly) assumed they could.

*breathalysing everyone to measure their carbon monoxide levels to see if they've smoked in the last week (reissuing of pREscriptions is dependent on you having not smoked) and an enormous amount of paperwork. There were 2 people there handling about 20 patients. It takes a LOT of time.

[Keef]

David Mc Wrote:

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> Keef - I'm not TRYING to quit - I HAVE quit!!!

> Champix and the group up at Windsor Walk have been

> (and are) enormously helpful. I'd recommend

> it/them to anyone wanting to quit.

Er, what did I say? :-S

Well done you, I should quit, I know I should, but still enjoy it too much.

[lozzyloz]

I can echo David Mc's last post re the excellent team at Windsor Walk and the benefits of Champix. I've quit for 6 months now after 30 years. Yipee!!!

Back on thread, if it helps D'Mc, I warned the Pharmacy prior to me getting the prescription from the clinic so that I was able to get it on the spot when I turned up with the ticket.

[Mrs Y]

Hi

Speaking as a reformed smoker, may I offer a suggestion to Sainsbury's that they consider a home delivery service for prescription items to be delivered with the carrots and potatos.

Problem solved

Mrs Y

[buggie]

think there could be additional problems related to ensuring the meds are handed over to the correct person and that they know about the meds (important if new meds or change in dosage).... we have to be careful enough giving out prescriptions in A&E!