[Kate!]

I've been ill for almost two weeks on top of which I suffer from strong back pain.

I finally managed to go in today and order my repeat prescriptions because they won't take them over the phone anymore. I've had to go without any meds for a few days because of this but I didn't say anything negative, and just reordered. Just had a text to say the doctor has refused me any pain relief unless I make an appointment. Rang them up. Receptionist was a snotty cow. Said the next available appointment I can have is on November 24th!!!!!! I explained I'm in pain all the time but she just repeated herself.

I put the phone down on her.

[Vicky.]

Yea it's getting ridiculous recently, well ever since covid

[Kate!]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Yea it's getting ridiculous recently, well ever since covid

She literally didn't give a sh1t Vicky. I clearly told her paracetamol wasn't working, uts not strong enough and I'm in considerable pain. She just repeated herself, that's why I banged the phone down.

[arista]

Receptionist
is not a Doctor.


Kate, can you go to the Surgery.
Wait until you are seen by a nurse or doctor

[Ammi]

…the waiting time at GP’s was meant to have reduced or is reducing…one month waiting for painkillers for an ongoing pain that you’re being prescribed for, is just not reasonable or acceptable…you’re not able to book a phone call with the GP to ask for an interim prescription until your face to face appointment…?…for sever pain as you’re describing, Kate…maybe call the emergency helpline for guidance…?…

[rusticgal]

Originally Posted by Kate!

I've been ill for almost two weeks on top of which I suffer from strong back pain.

I finally managed to go in today and order my repeat prescriptions because they won't take them over the phone anymore. I've had to go without any meds for a few days because of this but I didn't say anything negative, and just reordered. Just had a text to say the doctor has refused me any pain relief unless I make an appointment. Rang them up. Receptionist was a snotty cow. Said the next available appointment I can have is on November 24th!!!!!! I explained I'm in pain all the time but she just repeated herself.

I put the phone down on her.

As a GP receptionist we no longer take prescription requests over the phone. You can request them via e-mail or via your Surgeries request system.
Patients are responsible for requesting repeat medication in plenty of time to have them signed off by your GP. If you have left it late to request then you can get an emergency supply by calling 111.
If you are requesting stronger medication then you need to have an appointment with your GP. I don’t believe the GP would deny you a repeat prescription if you get it regularly. If you have not had it for a while then he would request an appointment.
Make a request to have an appointment through the usual process explaining the pain you are in and your symptoms and it will/should be triaged with more urgency.

[Kate!]

Originally Posted by rusticgal

As a GP receptionist we no longer take prescription requests over the phone. You can request them via e-mail or via your Surgeries request system.
Patients are responsible for requesting repeat medication in plenty of time to have them signed off by your GP. If you have left it late to request then you can get an emergency supply by calling 111.
If you are requesting stronger medication then you need to have an appointment with your GP. I don’t believe the GP would deny you a repeat prescription if you get it regularly. If you have not had it for a while then he would request an appointment.
Make a request to have an appointment through the usual process explaining the pain you are in and your symptoms and it will/should be triaged with more urgency.

Do not infer I'm a liar. I HAVE been getting it regularly for some time. He refused it me. Her exact words. "The doctor has refused to issue them. You have to have an appointment to explain why you need them, the next available slot is 24rh November".

I explained at length that he'd prescribed them for me after ruling out any infections eg water infection or kidneys. He said it was general chronic back pain. I've had them on repeat for months. She waited till I'd said all that and her reply was "the next appointment is 24th November. The doctor wants to check your symptoms."

I'm currently in bed in agony, been trying to sleep for an hour before BB.

Not all receptionists are good. Some are power crazed bitches.

[rusticgal]

Originally Posted by Kate!

Do not infer I'm a liar. I HAVE been getting it regularly for some time. He refused it me. Her exact words. "The doctor has refused to issue them. You have to have an appointment to explain why you need them, the next available slot is 24rh November".

I explained at length that he'd prescribed them for me after ruling out any infections eg water infection or kidneys. He said it was general chronic back pain. I've had them on repeat for months. She waited till I'd said all that and her reply was "the next appointment is 24th November. The doctor wants to check your symptoms."

I'm currently in bed in agony, been trying to sleep for an hour before BB.

Not all receptionists are good. Some are power crazed bitches.

Well in that case it may be a controlled drug or something like Diazepam that you cannot be on for long periods…sometimes a drug is over ordered and therefore denied.
Like I said go through the normal channels of requesting an appointment for the pain you are in…rather than an appointment to discuss the refusal of the drug…
Call 111 if you are in that amount of agony…a walk in Centre…there are other options.

I hope you get it sorted soon.

[Kate!]

Originally Posted by rusticgal

Well in that case it may be a controlled drug or something like Diazepam that you cannot be on for long periods…sometimes a drug is over ordered and therefore denied.
Like I said go through the normal channels of requesting an appointment for the pain you are in…rather than an appointment to discuss the refusal of the drug…
Call 111 if you are in that amount of agony…a walk in Centre…there are other options.

I hope you get it sorted soon.

It is cocodamol. Stronger than paracetamol. I get what your saying about other options but it's the fact of how they've gone about it leaving me in a mess that has upset and angered me. In the past reviews are requested in advance and thus just doesn't happen. As I explained above I only had a review in August, the cocodamol was on my prescription list then and was said to be fine to continue.

I don't take it willy nilly just when I'm in the most.pain. He prescribed it. It didn't make sense that now he wants an appointment in a months time to ask me why I need it, symptoms etc. Before they'll issue any more. As Ammi says its a shoddy way to treat a patient.

[rusticgal]

Originally Posted by Kate!

Do not infer I'm a liar. I HAVE been getting it regularly for some time. He refused it me. Her exact words. "The doctor has refused to issue them. You have to have an appointment to explain why you need them, the next available slot is 24rh November".

I explained at length that he'd prescribed them for me after ruling out any infections eg water infection or kidneys. He said it was general chronic back pain. I've had them on repeat for months. She waited till I'd said all that and her reply was "the next appointment is 24th November. The doctor wants to check your symptoms."

I'm currently in bed in agony, been trying to sleep for an hour before BB.

Not all receptionists are good. Some are power crazed bitches.

By the way Kate all we see as receptionists is that they have been denied…we don’t know the reasons why until you speak to the Gp or clinician…she’s just doing her job…it’s not her fault..

[Kate!]

Originally Posted by rusticgal

By the way Kate all we see as receptionists is that they have been denied…we don’t know the reasons why until you speak to the Gp or clinician…she’s just doing her job…it’s not her fault..

She seemed to be in the know, she said straight out that he'd refused it and I had to see him to discuss it. It was her fault that she was snotty and abrupt with me Rusti. I spent time explaining everything to her she cut me dead before I'd said all.i wanted to and repeated that I can't see him till the 24th November. No attempt whatsoever was made by her to try and help me, give me advice like you have as to alternatives. She just wasn't arsed. I was virtually in despair whilst we were in conversation. They are usually lovely as well. She just wanted me off the phone.

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by Kate!

She seemed to be in the know, she said straight out that he'd refused it and I had to see him to discuss it. It was her fault that she was snotty and abrupt with me Rusti. I spent time explaining everything to her she cut me dead before I'd said all.i wanted to and repeated that I can't see him till the 24th November. No attempt whatsoever was made by her to try and help me, give me advice like you have as to alternatives. She just wasn't arsed. I was virtually in despair whilst we were in conversation. They are usually lovely as well. She just wanted me off the phone.

But she did exactly what rusti said.

[rusticgal]

Originally Posted by Kate!

She seemed to be in the know, she said straight out that he'd refused it and I had to see him to discuss it. It was her fault that she was snotty and abrupt with me Rusti. I spent time explaining everything to her she cut me dead before I'd said all.i wanted to and repeated that I can't see him till the 24th November. No attempt whatsoever was made by her to try and help me, give me advice like you have as to alternatives. She just wasn't arsed. I was virtually in despair whilst we were in conversation. They are usually lovely as well. She just wanted me off the phone.

I can assure you she would not be in the know…trust me. I know you are in pain and no doubt frustrated but there is a system and most probably it was the only appointment she could offer you.
Like I said you need to go through the request system to get an appointment for your symptoms rather than an appointment to discuss your denied medication. I am sure if you are in that much pain you will get an earlier appointment and then given the painkillers you need.
Don’t take it out on the receptionist…however if she was rude all calls are recorded so you can make a complaint if necessary.

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by rusticgal

As a GP receptionist we no longer take prescription requests over the phone. You can request them via e-mail or via your Surgeries request system.
Patients are responsible for requesting repeat medication in plenty of time to have them signed off by your GP. If you have left it late to request then you can get an emergency supply by calling 111.
If you are requesting stronger medication then you need to have an appointment with your GP. I don’t believe the GP would deny you a repeat prescription if you get it regularly. If you have not had it for a while then he would request an appointment.
Make a request to have an appointment through the usual process explaining the pain you are in and your symptoms and it will/should be triaged with more urgency.

I thought this was common knowledge now.

[rusticgal]

Originally Posted by Glenn.

I thought this was common knowledge now.

We have only recently stopped taking requests over the phone. So many patients leave it until the last minute or forget then leaving a Duty Doctor to sign off loads of urgent requests at the end of the day on top of their already heavy workload.
Now people are told if you leave it late to request you call 111 for an emergency supply…it’s just educating people to take responsibility.

[Gusto Brunt]

I had a bad experience with the hospital a couple of weeks ago.

I was diagnosed type 2 diabetic 10 months ago, and the doctors/hospital told me because I am a diabetic, I need a feet examination, so I went to the hospital two weeks ago, where a nurse looked at my feet and she said I had excellent blood flow and my feet were in great shape even for someone who wasn't diabetic. But anyway, she said I had a small circle of hard skin she wanted to remove. It was barely nothing. Anyway, she did that, and left my foot score for three days. It was left red raw where she had removed the skin.

I was told I had to go back to the hospital on Friday October 31st so the nurse can look at my feet again. NEVER!!

There was nothing wrong with my feet before I went to the hospital. Luckily that red raw sore she left has healed. But NO THANKS to the nurse!!

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Gusto Brunt

I had a bad experience with the hospital a couple of weeks ago.

I was diagnosed type 2 diabetic 10 months ago, and the doctors/hospital told me because I am a diabetic, I need a feet examination, so I went to the hospital two weeks ago, where a nurse looked at my feet and she said I had excellent blood flow and my feet were in great shape even for someone who wasn't diabetic. But anyway, she said I had a small circle of hard skin she wanted to remove. It was barely nothing. Anyway, she did that, and left my foot score for three days. It was left red raw where she had removed the skin.

I was told I had to go back to the hospital on Friday October 31st so the nurse can look at my feet again. NEVER!!

There was nothing wrong with my feet before I went to the hospital. Luckily that red raw sore she left has healed. But NO THANKS to the nurse!!

…I’m so, so sorry that you had that bad experience, Gusto…please though, don’t let that one bad experience prevent from you going for your regular foot examinations…they’re such an important thing for diabetes patients to have ……

[Gusto Brunt]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…I’m so, so sorry that you had that bad experience, Gusto…please though, don’t let that one bad experience prevent from you going for your regular foot examinations…they’re such an important thing for diabetes patients to have ……

Since getting diabetes I've studied diabetic foot disease as if it were an A level. I know the signs. I told my brother my feet were in excellent condition. He said they (the NHS nurses) know better. Turns out not.

I do get a regular foot exam every three months at the docs. Each time they say my feet are in great shape. I know the signs. The small dangers to look out for.

But that hospital, never again. I could barely walk for days because of what that nurse did.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Gusto Brunt

Since getting diabetes I've studied diabetic foot disease as if it were an A level. I know the signs. I told my brother my feet were in excellent condition. He said they (the NHS nurses) know better. Turns out not.

I do get a regular foot exam every three months at the docs. Each time they say my feet are in great shape. I know the signs. The small dangers to look out for.

But that hospital, never again. I could barely walk for days because of what that nurse did.

…I really feel for you with that painful and disabling experience and it’s so sad if it’s made you feel any reluctance to go again…and I totally understand everything you’re saying…it’s so true how we’re all motivated and attached by our personal experiences, isn’t it…for me and one of my own attachments when I read your post/your words…is having a close friend who so sadly lost her daughter only a few short years ago…she’d lived with Type 1 as a part of her daily life since early childhood and as you do, she knew all of those signs…but that still didn’t changed anything….your brother is very wise, I think…you know the signs when they present but medically trained staff are trained to know those signs before they present with many things…that was a horrid experience for you, I know…but please don’t let it prevent you from those all important checks which are aiming to be preventative in their care…this was one clumsy medical person …the next time it won’t be them…

[Cherie]

Kate I know this not help for now, but if you sign up online you can get repeat prescriptions by ordering online, they tend to review medication on a regular basis but I think you would probably get called in to discuss rather than having to ring up

[Glenn.]

Count your chickens now. Wait until your reform pals get in

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Glenn.

Count your chickens now. Wait until your reform pals get in

And you back Labour

wow

[Ammi]

…I won’t ask what the medication is/that’s personal …but do you think, Kate …because you’ve been prescribed it for some months now, the GP could be concerned in terms of potential future addiction and wants to discuss other alternative ways of easing the pain…?…I mean, that doesn’t change that their thoughts would need to be explained and talked over now with you …and that a one month wait with no medication isn’t reasonable and is causing you stress which is only going to irritate your back pain even more…

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…I won’t ask what the medication is/that’s personal …but do you think, Kate …because you’ve been prescribed it for some months now, the GP could be concerned in terms of potential future addiction and wants to discuss other alternative ways of easing the pain…?…I mean, that doesn’t change that, that their thoughts would need to be explained and talked over now with you …and that a one month wait with no medication isn’t reasonable and is causing you stress which is only going to irritate your back pain even more…

This was my thinking.

If Kate has “strong back pain” it stands to reason she must be on strong painkillers. You can’t be on them indefinitely because they’re addictive.

[Kate!]

Originally Posted by Glenn.

This was my thinking.

If Kate has “strong back pain” it stands to reason she must be on strong painkillers. You can’t be on them indefinitely because they’re addictive.

So is bog standard paracetamol. I don't take them for the sake of it fgs. Only if I really need them. But to have them taken away without any recourse and to have to wait a month for an appointment stinks.