This is Care Opinion [siteRegion]. Did you want Care Opinion [usersRegionBasedOnIP]?
Care Opinion

Long long delays at Pharmcy

Story from nhs.uk

"Long long delays at Pharmcy"

About: St Helier Hospital

We had to visit the Eye Unit today and after a wait in a small crowded corner on purple chairs we were given a consultation. We were then given a prescription and told that it could only be dispensed by your own Pharmacy - Why???

We then found our way to this Pharmacy, handed over the prescription and given a number. This Pharmacy has a tiny seating area and today it was full. We then found an area outside in a very cold and draughty corrider and to our utter amazement had to again wait for a further hour before our number was called. Why oh Why couldn't we take the prescription to our local pharmacy and avoid this unbelievable wait in terrible waiting conditions?

Ask one of your Board members to actually go through this procedure and see how they feel.!!! Time for the Trust to please have a look at your facility and at least provide some heated waiting area in the Pharmacy Dept that is large enough to accommodate the huge numbers of people waiting for their medicine!!! I suppose the financial rewards override the comfort and wellbeing of your customers.

More about:
nhs.uk logo
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from St Helier Hospital 8 years ago
St Helier Hospital

Submitted on 10/03/2016 at 13:09
Published on nhs.uk on 11/03/2016 at 01:30

Thank you for your feedback. This has been shared with the Chief Pharmacist, whose response is below.

I am sorry that you had to wait for your prescription. Our average waiting time in a recent audit was found to be 39 minutes but there are times when this can increase above an hour due to the volume and complexity of the prescriptions received.

We do not routinely issue FP10 prescriptions (these are prescriptions that can be dispensed in a community pharmacy) unless the patient is seen in an off-site clinic, as this is a more expensive option of providing supplies of medicines.

The trust has recently purchased a number call system and placed electronic boards in the pharmacy waiting room and the corridor outside as well as in the restaurant and in Costa (ground floor, block C). These boards display the numbers of the prescriptions that are ready for collection and provide patients waiting for their prescriptions with options on where they would prefer to wait. There is also an option to receive a text message when a prescription is ready thus further increasing choice. Staff in the pharmacy do advise patients that they can wait in other areas of the hospital and I apologise if you were not given this information.

If you have any further concerns, please email communications@esth.nhs.uk.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k