A culture of "blame the GP"
Before heading to the pharmacy, I checked in person at the GP which prescriptions had been sent over for my 8yo child. Upon arrival at the pharmacy, I explained the situation (2 prescriptions with 3 items between them) and I was presented with two pieces of paper and just told "that's what we were sent". I didn't understand the documents so I asked for an explanation and I was told only two items were prescribed. I asked them to check again and I was told the same. As I was about to phone the GP for the final item, still in the pharmacy, I checked the package I had been given and all 3 items were there. I brought this to the attention of the pharmacy dispenser and I was told "sorry you misunderstood me" which I certainly had not. I pointed out that I had been given the wrong information and had been about to call the GP, believing they had made the error. I was also on this visit asked to wait to speak to the pharmacist about a separate issue. The pharmacist herself didn't know what she needed to speak to me about or why (regarding my child's inhaler) - she just said she had been "left a note". This is not the first time I have experienced eye rolls about the prescriptions GPs send through and a lack of accountability by the pharmacist/dispenser. There is a "blame the GP" culture which seems to be growing at this pharmacy and gives patients the run around. It leads to patient mistrust of GP surgeries, the pharmacy and leaves people feeling stressed, with unnecessary visits and calls to services being made. Communication between services and professionalism has to improve, if only to save the services themselves the time of dealing with multiple queries for each transaction. Each NHS service is under pressure and I'm finding more and more that the patient is the one left fighting for what they need.