For the last few years I have been given
medication on a two-monthly basis. All I had to do was wait for a text message telling me the prescription was ready and to collect it from the
pharmacy. Several weeks ago, it all went wrong and I didn’t realise until I found
I was down to the last two daily doses.
Not knowing who to approach I chose the
pharmacy. Staff there told me I had to ring the doctor but they would give me a
week’s supply to tide me over. It was delivered (I qualify for deliveries now)
the same day.
At the start of the next week I rang the
surgery and, after a lot of questioning, was told I had to ring the pharmacy.
Hmmm! How strange that the pharmacy had told me to ring the doctor!
Back to the chemist I went, apologising for
the fact that I was again bothering them with my little problem and saying that
being a long-serving customer didn’t mean I knew the way they worked or the
doctor works. It was their attitude that made me utter that last sentence.
Suddenly, the woman I was talking to transformed into a helpful
person. I think it was my tone of voice that did it plus an additional spiel
about being an ordinary person, untrained in the ways of working in surgeries
and pharmacies.
That did it! Suddenly the assistant became helpful,
promising that in future the prescribed medication would be delivered every two
months. Funny how she knew what I was talking about when hitherto I was given
all sorts of instructions that didn’t include them.
Perhaps I should learn to speak English!
Medication arrived, one month's worth. When querying the reduced number I was told that things have changed .... really? They no longer give out medication for a two month period and in future it is up to the customer to reorder every month.
It will, of course, cost the chemist more. However, who am I to complain!!
