Nothing's easy is it!

In the past Mr G and I used to make an appointment with our GP in Autumn for one of us to see the nurse for a routine blood test, and while we were there we'd have our 'flu' jabs. Great! Rang the surgery the other day to arrange my annual blood MOT and a "flu" jab, and to arrange for Mr G to have his jab at the same time. Er, no. Things have changed and we can't do that now as you have to make separate appointments for blood tests and jabs. Whoever made that decision wants a jolly good slap! In the past I used to take venous blood samples and the time it takes hasn't changed, nor the time for the quick jab in the arm. I'd be out within 5 minutes but now I've got to go twice which will take up more time. Grrrr! 

For some time I've been getting my repeat prescriptions via 'systemonline' (wow!) by ordering it from the surgery and taking it to the nearest chemist, but was getting increasingly frustrated by their inability to get it right first time (they often used to stare at 'the computer' as if they'd never dispensed a prescription before!)

I decided to have the prescription sent electronically to my local Boots for collection, where it is easier to park and the staff behind the counter at least look vaguely competent. First time I tried it Boots told me that they hadn't received the prescription.

Having asked them to ring the surgery to discover what had happened to it, it turns out that 'some items on the prescription couldn't be sent electronically' so the process would have to be completed manually. 

'What sort of items might we be talking about?' I asked innocently.

'It's usually things like morphine, heroin substitutes and other restricted drugs, but in your case it appears to be your glaucoma eye drops'. 

The surgery confirmed that the prescription was actually sitting in their reception waiting for Boots to pick it up manually, which in reality 'they rarely bothered to do because they don't do much business with us'.

On my next visit to the surgery I asked the receptionist why glaucoma eye drops couldn't be ordered electronically and she said 'they're not restricted, there's no reason why you can't order them electronically.'

Think I might be needing something highly restricted in the not too distant future!! 

In defence of GPs (I'm good friends with one!) It's now a logistical nightmare in most areas of the country. The significant population increase over the last 2 decades has not been matched with an increase in GP provision (the same with housebuilding, schools, etc) and they're under terrific pressure to provide the expected service now.

Not that I'm defending a lack of common sense when it comes to managing their systems

I am lucky I don't have probs with the repeat 'scripts which I order systemonline, and they are delivered to my house.   However, like Mum, don't get me started, an appointment is a whole different issue.  Most of Doctors are ladies who only work a few days a month, and the remainder seem to all be locums.  But I have managed to get a flu jab for this Saturday morning, not at my surgery, but about 8 miles away over the other side of town.   Mrs Bouquet

We've only just managed to get an appointment for Nov 2nd, the vaccine is very late this year!

Our chemist had some however, and they were going to step in if it all went pearshaped!

You did better than I did. I rang for mine early last week and mine is on 11th Nov. 

Did you order a pizza with it though, Goosey!

Works wonders when they arrive on a moped, shove a gooey pastrami thing through the letterbox, and yell, "Anyone for a flu jab"?

Try it sometime, you'll get over the symptoms in no time..;0)