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Originally Posted by Jeff For the last 3 or 4 years a quiet pharmacy - maybe up to 20 misuse patients.
Enough time to get to know the patients.
Yes I've banned a couple for shop-lifting - but that doesn't mean that I don't still get on with them. I ask how they're getting on when they pass by - and other members of their family come in.
I record contact numbers for daily patients so that at about 5:30 I'll call them if they haven't collected. I've warned all about the risk methadone poses to children and dispense in separate containers for each dose so as to reduce risk of spillage.
I rearrange appointments at the drugs unit if they miss them and get authorisation for early supply if they know that they are going to miss a day (e.g. due in court - working away from home)
Biggest problem was getting drug unit to allow unsupervised and collection by named relative - when patient gets a job. Required going past the keyworker and to doctor to remind them of the objectives of treatment.
One patient did swear at me - but his/her HRT script hadn't arrived and it was the testosterone speaking - apologies next day - they'd got home to a message on the answerphone that I'd left earlier - saying that even though the surgery hadn't yet signed the script I'd lend them enough to last till they did so.
Here's a nice one for you - what would you sell/recommend to a patient who wanted to home detox and give up heroin?
Jeff |
I do most of the above, but don't make appointments for people if they missed it because they were due in court etc. I simply don't have time for that, and in my opinion that's going too far. Why can't they re-arrange their own appointment?
You "lend" medication - don't you mean you do an emergency supply?
As to your question I wouldn't sell them anything. I'd recommend they do it properly through the various channels that are open to them. I am not in a position, and nor is it within my remit, to treat heroin addiction. I would help in the way a pharmacist does, within the system, but not act alone.
I cannot see how you can do either, because you cannot attempt to substitute any OTC product (surely they are un-licenced for this), and you can't advise them to keep buying street heroin, gradually reducing the dose, as they never know how pure it is.
What do you do?