"Receptionist and practice Mgr Rude!"

I am a diagnosed Coeliac and put in my prescription as usual for my gluten free bread which i have had for over 45 years. My Chemist at Sainsburys at the Dome store, are very good and ensure i always get the correct bread. They phoned me last Monday to tell me that apparently my bread was no longer available on prescription. They were not clear of details and told me to ring my surgery. I spoke to the receptionist about this concern and they told me that the Dr had said my bread was not available so i would need to choose another brand. I explained that my chemist had said they can get it for me. The receptionist did not have a clue, so i asked for the practice manager. They would not speak to me , but gave a message to the receptionist that Gluten Free Products were not available on prescription anymore. The receptionist was totally unhelpful and blatantly didn't have a clue what they were talking about. I asked for my Doctor to call me, they were rather rude and finally said i could get a call on Friday morning. I explained that i would be at work, but that i was happy for my husband to take the call. The doctor said fine.

Oh but it wasn't fine, the practice manager phoned my husband on Friday morning and refused to speak to him, he explained that i had told the receptionist that i would not be able to take the call as i was at work. Apparently i should of put a letter in to the surgery saying that i authorise my husband to take the call. NOT what the receptionist told me!!

I did manage to speak to the practice manager whilst at work and they were very rude and offish about the whole situation. I explained that i had been a coeliac for 45 years and had always had prescribed gluten free bread. (i only order 8 loaves per month). The practice manager said the decision had been made by the government to cut costs. Whilst i appreciate that the decision is not anything to do with the surgery, i do feel that their handling of the situation was appalling. I have just bought a pre-payment prescription for £104 to cover me for the next year, I also had no idea that this may happen even though i now know there has been a debate about it since June 2017. There are a total of 9 patients at the surgery who have prescribed gluten free products ( surely that doesn't break the budget of the surgery)!!!

I also talked to the doctor on Friday and yet again no sympathy at all. The doctor was not even concerned about the money i had paid out in advance, i suggested it would of been good practice to send out a letter to those 9 patients letting them know what the out come could be from the Government, they said that we wouldn't do that , it causes people to become anxious , Well, Let me tell you ,I am anxious and angry about the way the surgery has treated me, when did it become more important about your budget than the patients care. I am taking this complaint further but Sheepcote Lane Medical Centre, you really need to train your Receptionists and Practice Manager in Customer Service.