"Prescription problems"

Sometimes it can be very difficult to stay upbeat & positive when you're not well. We are both struggling quite a bit just now and the added problems created by other NHS - related organisations just puts the stress through the roof.

In Doncaster the new prescription rules mean you have to get your prescription in a week ahead of time. My partner did this, in fact his was requested on the 13th May. It was due either yesterday or today and he is out of 2 meds that he really needs.

I just phoned the chemists and the assistant has done her best to check and I know they are under pressure as there's hardly any staff but we've been told we have to wait until tomorrow's delivery to see what turns up but she also said that one of the items has not been available to order.

I asked if the one item could be 'referred to spine' so it can be taken elsewhere but you can't as the entire prescription has to be issued. We had this problem a few months ago.

We're coming up to a Bank Holiday and we now know that we will have to be wasting most of tomorrow chasing a prescription which won't exist. We've had the issue before and if the dose is missed for even a day or two the symptoms really trigger and there's also a risk it may trigger my partner's Ulcerative Colitis symptoms, it's needed as an aide to keeping everything in check.

Why can't the pharmacy let patients know in good time when they are having supply issues so we can take action sooner rather than having the last-minute panic when an essential medication has run out?

A quick text would do it and would save a lot of stress as we can intervene earlier in trying to source supplies.

So tomorrow will go something like this:

We will have to wait until late morning/early afternoon before we can check if the meds are in the order (they won't be) One of us will have to go up and collect the prescription and then numerous phone calls to other local chemists to find one that may have the item that's desperately needed. Then a drive to the chemists (if we are lucky enough to find one who has the stock).

This happens way too often, at the moment we've too much going on without all this hassle every time we have contact with the GP surgery or chemists.

It means that by the time we've done with all the running about we won't get much work done (we are self-employed) and because we have chronic fatigue and chronic pain because of our illnesses we will be completely wiped out. I have Crohn's Disease, Fibromyalgia and Long Covid, my partner has Ulcerative Colitis, Osteoporosis and Long Covid and we struggle on a daily basis, stress makes the conditions worse.

Wondering why is this situation with anything to do with GP's & pharmacies now the new normal throughout the UK? For us it's been happening for years and it never ever improves