Postal prescription delivery service

[trystan]

Hi all,

I used to collect my medication from the Lloyds Pharmacy inside Sainsburys before all this.

Then, once lockdown started I realised that I didn't want to queue up for ages, only to get my prescription.

So then I signed up with a local chemist who offered a delivery service. Except that they didn't deliver, and I had to go there and pick it up. It wasn't the best experience from a "trying to avoid a virus" point of view.

SO I thought I'd look elsewhere.

This time, I used echo.co.uk who are run by Lloyds Chemist. I'm delighted to have now got my medication delivered safely by Royal Mail.

Trystan

[sugarfizzle]

We order ours through our local pharmacy. Post it through the letterbox, sanitise hands afterwards.

We still go to collect them, but currently only one customer at a time allowed inside.
As this is only every 2 months, it seems an acceptable risk. We have only had to go once so far in lockdown, as we had renewed mid March.

They did offer delivery, but it was also a chance to get out of the house.

Is your service a free one?

Regards Margaret

[trystan]

Margaret,

A way of minimizing risk is to do something less often, so going every two months does reduce the risk I suppose.

Yes, the Echo Pharmacy is a free service (apart from the prescription itself of course as we have to pay here in England). Quite amazing really.

Trystan

[Gadget]

We must be one of the lucky ones.

We order online via a repeat prescription ap (Sysmonline*). This goes to our local (independent chemist) and they deliver. All for free as we're old 

PS - this is a great app as you can also (used to) make appointments and check results of tests, etc. I think there are similar aps. Check with your GP.

* missed out the t - Systmonline

[trystan]

We have an online portal with our local medical centre for repeat prescriptions and appointment bookings.

It's run by www.patient-services.co.uk

[LizzieL]

Oh and I have to go and collect ours. We have to get it from the dispensary at the doctor's surgery as we live too far from a pharmacy, they won't issue a prescription which I could use at a pharmacy unless they are out of stock and even then it's a fight to get one. They told us that they get extra payment from the NHS to dispense and would lose that if they issued prescriptions. They will only issue 28 days worth at a time, so we are forced to go out more often. 

[sugarfizzle]

Margaret,

A way of minimizing risk is to do something less often, so going every two months does reduce the risk I suppose.

Yes, the Echo Pharmacy is a free service (apart from the prescription itself of course as we have to pay here in England). Quite amazing really.

Trystan

Going somewhere every 2 months, where you are the only person other than staff, who are behind a large perspex screen screen with a hole in the middle, does definitely reduce the risk of me catching coronavirus from anybody else, or me transmitting it to anybody else. The risk of picking it up from the bag are the same whether you collect it or have it delivered.
We are in the group of people who empty bags out, dispose of bags, then wash hands, with both prescriptions and shopping, so that risk again is minimised. I know some people don't bother with that, but it's an extra layer of precaution and costs nothing but time.

My prescriptions have been free since I was 24, for medical reasons. Now free due to age, don't have to sign on the back for medical exemptions any more.

As I said before, they do offer a delivery service for those who cannot attend, offered it to us for the duration of the pandemic.

Regards Margaret

[Old Bristolian]

I've been using a free postal service called Pharmacy2U, which has been superb. Delivery quick and efficient. As a pensioner I get my presciptions free of course. I'm not sure how this works for thise who pay