Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Pharmacies automatic ordering repeat prescriptions
I want to alert people to a scam some pharmacies are doing,
so for the second time this year, I went to my regular chemist to pick up 2 things, to be handed over a great big bag of repeat prescriptions I didn’t order or need. Now I know I definitely didn’t order them, and yes fine as I’m on a prepayment scheme, it won’t cost me anymore money. But that’s irrelevant, as it shouldn’t be happening. I spoke to the pharmacist who advised me, he thought the gp practice had accidentally done it
well as I work as a practice nurse, I know it doesn’t work like this unless you set up repeat dispensing. Thankfully something the government are now stopping as it gets abused, and many people have cupboard loads of drugs they don’t use. Yes the pharmacy are happy to take back the drugs, which I don’t need and which they have already claimed for. To sell onto someone else. And of course, it’s also on my Gp prescription page then, that I am taking. meds, when I’m actually not. It costs the nhs millions every year
so I wanted to alert people, that if this is happening to you, let your Gp surgery know, as if a particular chemist has a number of complaints , they will be investigated. I have been with my chemist for over 25years, but they were taken over about a year ago, and all very nice, but I’m really unhappy about this as yes once can be a mistake but not twice. And if I’m having this done, then I’m sure lots of other people are as well
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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I don't think a pharmacy would give out or sell returned medicines as you could have interfered with them.
You say " some pharmacies " but you are basing this on one example - yours ?
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Permalink Reply by Gordon T on
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Somewhat relevantly I returned three packs of pills to my local pharmacy this week since my prescription had changed. They took them in and I expect they represcribed/resold them. I didn't ask for a refund (nor could I).
The boxes were unopened and sealed (so I manifestly could not have interfered with them) - nor presumably tigha too in her example - since they were given to her IN the pharmacy.
tigha works in the health sector, and she presumably knows what she's talking about.
John D, could you, just this once, suspend your sceptical view of humanity?
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Gordon: tigha suggests that some pharmacies fraudulently resell returned medicines. I believe that is unlikely.
So who has the sceptical view of humanity ?
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Permalink Reply by Geraldine B on
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Well done Tigha - you have made a very good/correct point and I agree with you. I do not like to abuse NHS money in this albeit usually innocent way.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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I do t know which pharmacy this is but I do know that there has been a problem with the GP surgery my husband uses and their IT system. A few months ago he went to collect his repeat prescription and everything he had ever been prescribed in the past year was in the bag. The pharmacist did some digging and the GP surgery had actioned a “repeat all” command on his medical record, rather than to repeat the items he had requested. The pharmacist found that my husband wasn’t the only person this had happened to and alerted the surgery and other the other pharmacies these erroneous orders had gone to. It certainly wasn’t a pharmacy scam.
An accusation of fraud against a pharmacist is an incredibly serious matter and it it is believed that one behaved unlawfully they should be reported to NHS Fraud rather than speculated on a social media website
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Permalink Reply by tigha on
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Well seems some of taken offence to this. I add that I haven’t named any pharmacies, but as I’ve said it’s a practice that goes on far too much, although most pharmacies don’t. Yes if the meds are taken home and then returned, then no they can’t be sold on, so guess they go in the bin, to add to the waste. But many people, myself included, hand back meds whilst still in the shop, so they can be sold on, despite the fact the pharmacy has already claimed for them. Many of my patients have said they have handed back medications on a regular basis, when I have questioned them about some of their medication usage.
I agree that practices get it wrong and dispense all meds sometimes, although you haven’t asked for them all.. But this is not what I’m talking about. What I’m referring to, is when chemists request repeat prescriptions on your behalf, which you haven’t asked for. Which has now happened to me twice in the last few months. I can guarantee it won’t happen to me again now I’m watching. But actually I think it is relevant to alert people on social media. It’s a very good platform to disseminate information
where I work we locally have one who was doing it very regularly and another quite often. And according to our pharmacist it’s a common problem. Shameful as it is.
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So as you know this is happening (and from your post know who is doing it) you have reported it?
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Hi Tigha,
As other HoLers have commented, once a drug has left a pharmacy it cannot be re-used/re-dispensed to others since storage of the drugs cannot be assured. If they have not left the store, in theory the drugs would be returned on their stock management system and placed back onto the shelf, and the prescription shouldn't be 'cashed in' (claimed for by NHSBSA). If it is a prescription-only medicine then it won't be 'sold' to someone else, unless what you mean is that it will be dispensed to someone else (they can only sell at the value of the drug when it's a private prescription). Pharmacies also accept medicines from patients that have not been used for safe disposal and these shouldn't be reused.
If you suspect illegal activity or any activity that isn't in line with pharmacy standards then I would strongly urge you to report it to the General Pharmaceutical Council, which is the pharmacy regulatory body.
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I don't have any of this problem. I cannot do a bulk repeat of my medication because different things run out at different times. By agreement I reorder by e-mailing my GP copying in my local pharmacist. Two days later the requested medicines are delivered, the right ones and no others. (I am 80 n.o. !)
This service works well and i have no complaints.
Gregory
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