# Boots...again. Lost prescription and refusal to help



## SilentAssassin1642 (Mar 1, 2011)

Just back from town/retinopathy appointment and on the way home I popped into boots to pick up my prescruiption which I took in last wednesday

well guess what?

Not there.

It's been lost. Boots are blaming my surgery, surgery are blaming boots. Both are as likely to blame as each other. I had an argument with the girl behind the counter because she wouldn't get it into her head that I need test strips and my citalopram. They are refusing to give me any test strips to see me through until they find my prescription. I asked them to call me to let me know when they find it and the girl got funny with me. In the end she took my number but I am not expecting a phone call.

I'm fuming. I am running out of test strips. Thankfully I have my spare USB meter but only have 1 pot of those strips left. Half a pot of onetouch ones should the need arise but seriously, why is this happening? I have images of my doctors refusing to sign the prescriptio because of the 400 strips I get per month. I have images of boots loosing the slip of paper.

I don't know what to do. I want to write a formal complaint both to Boots and my PCT over my doctors (seriously, every month I have problems with them agreeing to prescribe me stuff). But will that achieve anything? I doubt it. I don't want to self fund strips because my doctors are too incompetant to realise I need to test alot. But I may have to for a while because this keeps happening and I am fed up to the back teeth of it.

What should I do guys? Other than write a letter of complaint and go into boots every day after work until I get my stuff, I don't know what to do =[


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## mrsjaja (Mar 1, 2011)

Write your letters.  If we dont complain about these things they will never get changed.....

Good luck with Boots (i use a small independent nowadays for a similar reason)


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## lucy123 (Mar 1, 2011)

400 strips per month? How do you manage to get that amount. I struggle to get 50.
You will have to let me know your secret. I wish I had a GP that would listen to reason and prescribe what I believe I need.


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Mar 1, 2011)

lucy123 said:


> 400 strips per month? How do you manage to get that amount. I struggle to get 50.
> You will have to let me know your secret. I wish I had a GP that would listen to reason and prescribe what I believe I need.



because i'm type 1 on a pump...I test 10 times per day if not more, because I have to.


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## MeanMom (Mar 1, 2011)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> What should I do guys? Other than write a letter of complaint and go into boots every day after work until I get my stuff, I don't know what to do =[



Write that letter and then stop using Boots for your scrip. Have you looked into getting it delivered rather than fetching it? You shouldnt have to self fund the strips are way too expensive - and if your PCT doesnt like people testing so much - why let them have pumps? The two things go hand in hand 

Hope you get this sorted soon and without having to explode too many more times Good Luck x


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## Flutterby (Mar 1, 2011)

I bet the fault lies with Boots, they are pretty rubbish.  Change which pharmacy you use if possible, I've been using Lloyds since I finally lost confidence in Boots.  They seem a lot better so far.


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## squidge63 (Mar 1, 2011)

I really would leave Boots, I did when they kept making excuses for not having my prescription items. I went to Lloyds and have been very happy with their service. It is Southampton you live if I recall is it not ??? or has my memory failed me lol

Your PCT PALS contact details are:

General contact details
Southampton City PCT 
Trust HQ
Oakley Road
Southampton
Hampshire
SO16 4GX
Tel: 023 8029 6904
Fax: 023 8029 6960

PALS (Patient advice and liaison service)
You can talk to PALS who provide confidential advice and support to patients, families and their carers, and can provide information on the NHS and health related matters.

PPI email address: dawn.buck@scpct.nhs.uk

not sure what PPI is but I would definitely complain to Boots and tell them you are taking your custom elsewhere. To complain about your GP write to the practice manager and send a letter to the PALS dept at the PCT.

Hope you get it sorted..


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Mar 1, 2011)

squidge63 said:


> I really would leave Boots, I did when they kept making excuses for not having my prescription items. I went to Lloyds and have been very happy with their service. It is Southampton you live if I recall is it not ??? or has my memory failed me lol
> 
> Your PCT PALS contact details are:
> 
> ...



Thanks for that, you're right I am in Southampton 

I'll be sitting down tonight and writing both a letter of complaint to Boots which I'll take in tomorrow and will also advise that I will be taking my custome elsewhere and I'll also send an email to the PCT and also get a copy of the email sent to my practice manager also (I can print that out at work and send it from work so will do that tomorrow).

I'm still fuming. Will definitely take my custom elsewhere!!


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## Robster65 (Mar 1, 2011)

Hi Sam.

It might be better (and less stressful for you) to send the Boots letter to their head or regional office for them to deal with and the GP letter just to the PCT with a request in both letters for their response to your complaints.

I know it can feel satisfying to confront the culprits directly, but if the people responsible are less than interested, you may find it upsets you more. I have been in this sort of position and felt really annoyed when my direct complaints have been largely shrugged off. I have since learned to go straight to the top, where they have their own codes of practice to deal with it in a far more effective way.

Rob


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## Ellie Jones (Mar 1, 2011)

If writing a letter of complaint, it's far better to post it via recorded delivery, the you don't get the 'didn't recieve it' excuse!  As somebody's got to sign for the letter...

I would also check their website to see if they have a complaints department..

Several years ago, desinged and printed a not favourable t-shirt for my husband to wear to work (under is shirt) on ordering day! As the service they provided was terrible, and put a lot of work on my husband who had to sort out what mistakes they made and get them to rectify them!  Turning a morning of checking in monthy medication into a two day stint!

Me I will only ever use our local Boots if I've got my rescirption in hand, and intended to wait for it to be dispensed!


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## Northerner (Mar 1, 2011)

Do you use Boots repeat prescription service Sam? I got persuaded to sign up for that. I gave them three tries, all of which they mucked up so I went back to picking up the prescription from the surgery myself. If you can't do that easily because of work you could try what Copepod does - put your repeat in an envelope and post it at the surgery with an SAE so they can post it back to you when complete - then you can take it to any pharmacist you wish.


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## macast (Mar 1, 2011)

the only chemist within 20 miles is a Boots.  I take my prescriptions there and WAIT for them lol.  it is the only way


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## Ergates (Mar 1, 2011)

Some Boots can be really good, it depends on the staff.  Currently I just drop the prescriptions at the doctors and go to Day Lewis myself, since we live only a few minutes walk away.

400 strips a month?  That makes me feel much better about my 200 strips/three weeks.


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## Chrissie (Mar 1, 2011)

I thought it was just me that had a problem with Boots they can't seem to get my insulin right I have Humalog 10ml vials for my pump & i still have 3ml pen cartridges on repeate incase my pump fails i've got a back up but every month they try to give me the 3ml pen cartridges instead of the 10ml vials even though it clearly states on my prescription that i need 10ml vials & i tell the pharmacist but still they try & give me the pen cartridges i have to argue with them every month just to be given what i've been prescribed you would think they would be used to my request by now as i've been using them for over 2years. Unfortunitly i have no choice but to use them as they are the only chemist locally & its only a tiny tiny little shop. It is so frustrating!! I've written letters of complaint to Boots, my gp & pct i've received appoligies but its still the same 
I hope you get a better response from your gp/pct/boots than i've had, but if your struggling for test strips i can post you some as i've just collected my prescription & have 600 one touch test strips if you get stuck


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Mar 1, 2011)

Chrissie said:


> I thought it was just me that had a problem with Boots they can't seem to get my insulin right I have Humalog 10ml vials for my pump & i still have 3ml pen cartridges on repeate incase my pump fails i've got a back up but every month they try to give me the 3ml pen cartridges instead of the 10ml vials even though it clearly states on my prescription that i need 10ml vials & i tell the pharmacist but still they try & give me the pen cartridges i have to argue with them every month just to be given what i've been prescribed you would think they would be used to my request by now as i've been using them for over 2years. Unfortunitly i have no choice but to use them as they are the only chemist locally & its only a tiny tiny little shop. It is so frustrating!! I've written letters of complaint to Boots, my gp & pct i've received appoligies but its still the same
> I hope you get a better response from your gp/pct/boots than i've had, but if your struggling for test strips i can post you some as i've just collected my prescription & have 600 one touch test strips if you get stuck



thank you chrissie, that's really sweet of you 

honestly, i despair at them. The girl who served me must be a trainee on the pharmacy department as I normally see her behind a normal till, never seen her on the pharmacy counter before. I tell you, they had better have something in for me tomorrow. I'll be writing a complaint anyway, and getting head offices address to write to them because its just not on.


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Mar 1, 2011)

Ergates said:


> 400 strips a month?  That makes me feel much better about my 200 strips/three weeks.



200 wasn't lasting me when i started on the pump, it still isn't. I test more now than I ever did because i'm still tweaking. My doctor always tries to make me feel guilty about having so many, but I don't - I always end up shooting his rubbish arguments down in flames.


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## Cate (Mar 1, 2011)

What test strips do you use?  I have about 250 of the Contour strips in my current supplies, if you want some of them I can post you a pot?

I had to self fund for 2 weeks last year, after stupidly not taking enough with me when I went away - ?26 for 50 strips!  Never again...


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Mar 1, 2011)

Cate said:


> What test strips do you use?  I have about 250 of the Contour strips in my current supplies, if you want some of them I can post you a pot?
> 
> I had to self fund for 2 weeks last year, after stupidly not taking enough with me when I went away - ?26 for 50 strips!  Never again...



mainly the accu chek aviva ones, but I use a contour usb as a spare. I'm down to about 10 aviva strips because of the mess up and have a put of 50 contour strips in the cupboard. Not sure if that will last, I guess I'l find that out tomorrow when I go into boots again.

Currently sat here emailing PALS. I wonder if anything will come of it?


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## Cate (Mar 1, 2011)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> mainly the accu chek aviva ones, but I use a contour usb as a spare. I'm down to about 10 aviva strips because of the mess up and have a put of 50 contour strips in the cupboard. Not sure if that will last, I guess I'l find that out tomorrow when I go into boots again.



Well if you want another pot of them pm me your address and I'll stick them in the post 

Good luck with the email!


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## Ellie Jones (Mar 1, 2011)

Cate

If you get caught out like that again, ask the chemist for the form to reclaim your money back, not use what it's ref is, long time since I've used it..  Just fill it in and you get your money back,

Or you can go to the nearest small injury or A&E and they will let you have a prescription, if you've use the same meter as them, they might let you have one of their pots!


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## everydayupsanddowns (Mar 1, 2011)

write those letters Sam! I read a very interesting post on ShootUpOrPutUp by a pharmacist (a friend of Tim who joined here). Apparently as problematic as we diabetics are for GP budgets, we are an absolute cash cow for pharmacies. The suggestion was that in return for our loyal 'custom' we ought to be able to secure a higher than normal level of service. 

Where there's a choice of pharmacies nearby it might well be worth asking to speak to a senior member of staff to see what they will offer!


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## Tezzz (Mar 1, 2011)

I fax my repeat request to my local independent pharmacy. They check and if need be order anything. They take the fax to the surgery and later pick up the signed 'script and I collect from them. They also have my exemption certificate on file so I don't have to sign anything.

Is there a local independent pharmacy near you Sam?


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## Liz! (Mar 2, 2011)

I feel lucky reading this! I live in a village so I get my repeat prescription made up by emailing the paharmacy at the surgery and then all I have to do is go and collect it. If there is a balls up (very rarely) they get it made up there and then.


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## MargB (Mar 2, 2011)

I gave up on Boots a long time ago.  One time I was walking back and forth between the surgery and the shop and it really annoyed me.  They would often lose the 2nd page of my scrip.  

Also, I like the idea I am supporting my local pharmacy.  Not sure if they would pick up the scrip from my surgery as it is a bit far away but they certainly do that for others and have two men just going out dropping off to peoples' homes.  They have also told me never to run out of Metformin, they will always give me a small supply whilst I wait for the prescription.


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Mar 2, 2011)

update

I emailed my PCT last night about this as it is mainly an issue with my doctors surgery losing/refusing to sign my scripts.

PCT have been fab, they rang me at work today and are taking it on as an official complaint and sorting it for me. I have also written my own letter of complaint (it kept me going through work today ha) which is waiting to go in the post.

Boot thankfully had some bits waiting for me this evening after the surgery had sent them  PHOTOCOPY of my prescription  I give up, I really do. Thankfully once the PCT have been on at my surgery this should be sorted once and for all.


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## Northerner (Mar 2, 2011)

Glad to hear that some progress is being made


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## Cate (Mar 2, 2011)

Fab, I hope the PCT manage to get it all sorted for you 

I have to say, this does make me worry a bit about what will happen when the PCTs go in favour of the GPs holding all the money though.  What resources would we have available to deal with complaints then?  Anyone know?


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