Am I being unreasonable?

[dizzyb23]

You are not being unreasonable at all.

We are constantly asked to deliver sample pots to patients and then back to surgery once filled.We were once asked by patient to collect a leaving present he'd got for one of the GP's. I politely explained that what the post office/royal mail was for.

Because someone once decided it was a 'good' idea to deliver Rx's for free, the general public think we will pick up and deliver things, whether pharmacy related or not, at their beck and call

Thats hit the nail on the head. Since we started doing everything for our customers, they expect even more. It's never enough.......

[Pharmanaut]

Thats hit the nail on the head. Since we started doing everything for our customers, they expect even more. It's never enough.......

A wise GP once told me that we should only deliver to the most needy.
His reason was, as they walked up to the surgery they met people, had a chat, got some exercise and fresh air. Exercise and social interaction boosted what he could do for them with medicine.

[PtitpupUK]

Very wise... I know of someone who got herself a disabled badge as soon as she was diagnosed with angina. When you consider she was also diabetic and very overweight, you would have thought a few extra steps would be really beneficial to her. But the thing is ... people are lazy. How many people do you deliver to, and then they're not there, they've been out shopping/visiting/for lunch etc, how many actually have a car in the drive (especially considering cost of petrol). But for customer service sake, you shush and just let it happen. It's sad really.

[Pharmanaut]

But for customer service sake, you shush and just let it happen. It's sad really.

Yes, if you follow Jim Plagakis website (US Pharmacist) he relates some quite worrying stories about the 'drive-thru' window.

One of the consequences of EPS nomination is that a lot of people will get their scripts delivered without having to make any effort. There will be a proportion of people who will benefit from this - housebound. This will increase the 'dependancy culture'. It will also reduce opportunities for local social interaction. People with time on their hands won't bump into friends from the next street, or have that chance meeting with an old school friend.
It also reduces opportunities for counselling or patients just having a chat with the assistants.
However, we all live in modern times....
In business terms, this is less footfall in the pharmacy, resulting in reduction of OTC sales.
In wider terms, the footfall on the local shopping area is less as well.
If we have to go down this delivery route, a local, chargeable service involving a consortium of the local retailers might work? It would probably not make a profit, but would help stop a no profit situation?

Any thoughts?

[GAZ]

we regularly have requests from patients, carers, doctors etc for all types of weird and wonderful things and favours. I think that there comes a point when you have to draw the line. To actually say no to some requests does feel bad sometimes but where would it all end????

E.g. Elderly patient (with large and very mobile family) asks for her items to be delivered....no probs. I asked when she needed her stuff and she asked for the next delivery date......no probs. And then she asked if we would nip next door to tescos and pick up bread, marmite (yuck), skimmed milk, tea bags and toilet rolls and drop them off with the meds. And she won't be in so can we put everything in her porch and she'll settle up with us next time????????????

So, where does it end.....

as far as i'm aware tescos do deliver groceries?

[PtitpupUK]

as far as i'm aware tescos do deliver groceries?

Yes, but they charge £5 a go !

[Racer]

I had a call today from a Social Services carer asking if we could pick up an elderly lady's incontinence pads from the surgery and deliver them once a fortnight along with her weekly MDS pack. I said no and suggested that maybe that was what carers were there for - her response was "it's not our responsibility".

I am now feeling guilty because it really wouldn't be any great hardship for us to do this and as a private individual I would have no problem with dropping a neighbour's incontinence pads off. However, I feel that my staff are being seen as a solution to a problem which should be addressed in another manner.

Am I being unreasonable?

No, as many others have said, you're not being unreasonable at all.

I make it clear that our free delivery service is for the housebound only, is at our discretion and is a privilege that can be withdrawn, not a right.

That way, people really value the service.