"Problems with repeat prescriptions"

This story has been posted by Healthwatch Tameside on behalf of a member of the public who asked not to have their name published. They said…

This man is on several medications. He has very limited mobility. He or his wife can't always get to the surgery to drop in request for repeat prescriptions. Sometimes he has been late and then needed to see doctor to sort out medications.

Sometimes he doesn't use all his creams, but if he says this to doctor, the cream is removed from his prescription and goes "off the system", so he has to return yet again to GP to have it reinstated. He now just stockpiles the cream, which he realises is wasteful, but can't risk being without it.