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Poor service

Story from nhs.uk

"Poor service"

About: Riverside Surgery

I am writing to formally raise a complaint regarding the unsatisfactory service I received from Dr.at the reverside surgery practice on the morning of 19th June 2025, when I brought my 8-year-old daughter in due to an ongoing issue with itching and soreness in her genital area. The Dr. examined her and advised using Canesten cream but did not issue a prescription, stating that the cream was available over the counter in any supermarket. Following this advice, I went to several supermarkets but was unable to locate the cream. Eventually, I approached a pharmacy, where I was informed that due to my daughter’s age, the cream could not be provided without a prescription. I was asked specific questions about the intended use and was told that in cases involving children, a doctor’s prescription is mandatory.

I visited multiple pharmacies and encountered the same issue at each one. As a result, I returned to the GP practice to request a prescription. I spoke to the receptionist and was told she would relay the message to the Dr.Later, I received a call from the practice informing me again that the cream should be available on supermarket shelves and that the Dr.refused to issue a prescription. I explained repeatedly that I had already attempted this, but the response remained the same.

This caused significant distress, as my daughter continued to suffer without the necessary treatment. The following day, out of desperation, I visited more pharmacies and was again told that a prescription was required for an 8-year-old. Eventually, I had to lie and say the cream was for myself in order to obtain it. Only after applying it did my daughter finally begin to feel some relief.

I find this situation deeply concerning. Firstly, it appears there is a lack of understanding about the availability and legal requirements around over-the-counter treatments for children. Secondly, I am troubled by the refusal to provide a prescription, even after I clearly explained the difficulties I had encountered and the guidance I had received from multiple pharmacies.

I would not understand why the Dr.refused to issue a prescription in this instance, and I urge the practice to ensure the doctors are informed about pharmacy protocols, particularly where minors are concerned. It is vital that patients, especially young children, receive timely and appropriate care without unnecessary barriers.

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Responses

Response from Riverside Surgery last week
Riverside Surgery

Submitted on 23/06/2025 at 10:50
Published on nhs.uk at 10:50

Dear Ms Cho,

Thank you for your letter regarding your recent experience at Riverside Medical Practice on 19 June 2025. I am sorry to hear about the difficulties you encountered in obtaining treatment for your daughter, and I appreciate you taking the time to raise your concerns with us.

We acknowledge that your visit was prompted by a distressing and ongoing issue for your daughter, and I am very sorry that your experience fell short of the standard of care and support we aim to provide. I regret the inconvenience and distress caused, and the fact that you felt compelled to misrepresent the intended use of the cream in order to access it.

Having reviewed the consultation and subsequent communications, it appears the GP’s intention was to facilitate timely treatment by recommending a commonly used cream available without prescription. There was, however, a misunderstanding around the specific protocols relating to the supply of clotrimazole cream for children. Although this cream is licensed for use in children over one month of age for certain indications, there was confusion about its over-the-counter availability for genital symptoms in an 8-year-old. We had anticipated that, given you had already been assessed by a doctor, informing the pharmacist of this would be sufficient to allow supply. We now recognise that this was not the case, and that, in practice, pharmacists require a prescription in such circumstances.

As part of our wider approach to supporting appropriate prescribing, we follow NHS guidance that encourages clinicians to advise patients to purchase over-the-counter treatments where clinically appropriate. However, in this instance, we accept that our interpretation of the guidance was incorrect, particularly in light of the age of the patient and the nature of the symptoms. We are sorry for this oversight and the difficulties it caused.

Your concerns have been discussed with the GP involved and shared with the wider clinical team. We are updating our internal guidance to ensure that future recommendations for over-the-counter treatment take into account practical limitations on supply, especially for children. We are also reviewing our processes to ensure that when patients return after encountering difficulty accessing recommended treatments, these concerns are managed more responsively.

Once again, I would like to extend my sincere apologies for the distress and disruption caused. Thank you for bringing this to our attention and for giving us the opportunity to learn from the experience.

Yours sincerely,

Vikash Malde

Practice Manager

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