"Coughs and Colds"

I called for a GP appointment due to very bad flu symptoms.I don’t usually go to a GP for a cold.I made an exception this time as it has been many years since flu symptoms have left me completely wiped out and void of energy. The receptionist I am pleased to say was polite and professional enough and showed some empathy when she heard my chesty cough down the phone.She advised the GP will not see patients for cold and flu symptoms as they are seasonal unless it has been at least 3weeks but advised of a new service they now provide where they can ‘send’ people to a pharmacy.She explained I would get to speak to a pharmacist who would talk to me in a consultation room and they have the ability to prescribe antibiotics or antivirals etc and she then took my details and told me to go the particular pharmacy after 9am today anytime until they close. I hadn’t even been downstairs for 4 days so low were my energy levels but I made the effort to take a taxi to the Applegate pharmacy.My experience was horrendous.I walked into the Applegate pharmacy entrance to canning pharmacy - I saw a counter and saw no sign of life as I approached it. I walked to the other side where I could see the staff members & pharmacists dispensing prescriptions. I stood there for 5 minutes and I could see them chatting but none of them acknowledged my presence. So I walked back to the original counter I had seen and someone finally asked me if I’d been seen to so I said “not yet.” I then said I’d phoned St Luke’s and they’d asked me to come here. The assistant got me to write my name and date of birth once she understood it was a referral (she was friendly)and asked what my symptoms were.She went to relay these to the pharmacist.She came back to ask me what the worst symptom was so I told her it was the chesty cough. Then the pharmacist himself finally came out and the level of disinterest was clear as day on his face.He was not bothered. It was clear he had no intention of of exploring my symptoms, possible causes, or even talking to me in a consultation room.He had no empathy or care or concern and he showed complete indifference on the shop floor as I said the coughing was keeping me up all night and the chesty cough was so strong it was making me throw up and I’d not had flu symptoms that wiped me out like this. He told me to take paracetamol 4 times a day (which I was already doing) and in a bored voice asked if I’d tried chesty cough medicine. I said no, I’d just taken stuff to soothe my throat so far but I might need antivirals (I’d spoken to a GP friend who had suggested the same) so he said ‘if it’s a virus your body will fight it.’ He told me I should take a chesty cough medicine so I asked if he could at least recommend one so he picked one up from behind the counter and sold it to me. I was appalled with the service. If St Luke’s are partnering up with a pharmacy to take on such cases they should use one willing to give the service.What a waste of my time and energy!