"Prescription required for Holiday"

I was going away on holiday early on5/7 so put in my order to be ready on the week previous . I was told that my doctor had removed Metformin from the prescription and therefore it could not be dispensed . I am diabetic and told the telephonist that it was a mistake . I was told that my doctor was away and the duty doctor would phone me to discuss the problem . They did not . The following day I phoned again and was again told that only the duty doctor could sign the prescription and would phone me . They did not . On Monday 2/7 I phoned again to express the urgency and in the evening received a phone call confirming a mistake had been made and apologising for the error and assuring me that my prescription would be ready for me to collect . I affirmed that I would call on Wednesday 4/7in the afternoon . When I did so I found the surgery closed for education . This is not the way to treat a customer .

I did get my pills from the local chemist by explaining the problem and without a prescription . He was most helpful .

As an ex-senior manager in industry and Professor of Technology Business Management at Strathclyde University I feel that the management of this practice should be reviewed and its business processes improved .

Dr G C S Collins