Just wondered what people thoughts were on a couple of dilemas.
Came across a pharmacy were a locum had given out 2 weeks supply of methadone rather then just one week as stated on the prescription for that day. All the necessary people had been informed, but the pharmacist rang lifeline ask if they could do a new prescription for the same day for the 2nd supply. Does not look like anything ontoward, just wanted a script to cover the 2nd supply. Lifeline refused or should i say the manager,they did not ask the actual prescriber who had not been informed by the team stating that if anything happened to the patient (who was informed) it would look like they had asked for a 2 week supply and they would be in trouble.
Thinking of what i would have done, i probably would have tried to get a script as well. Also reporting the error to the necessary managers and accountable officer. Ive heard alot of problems about lifeline recently. Like missing out the recent bank holiday on patients scripts and one particular one where they stated sundays dose as supervised even though they new the pharmacy had closed (previously for a long time it was a take home dose) causing alot of problems with the patient blaming the pharmacist for not sorting it out.
I wondered as well what you guys would do it lifeline made a mistake on the script, such as supervised when its not, quantities that dont match etc would you insist on a new prescription from the precriber?
In the early methadone scripts, a Dr used a green form for daily supply. I was not experienced in methadone and gave out 500ml. No sleep that night. Drove next day (Sunday) to pts house, he had been to a rave and not come home that night. After a dreadful week, regular pharmacist told me had got correct script from Dr and I started sleeping again.
johnep
It was ever thus sadly....
Sorry;reply of no use to original post-just more tales of long ago..............As husband and wife team in late '80s Edinburgh in high Methadone dispensing area we were obliging to local specialist clinic dealing with chaotic lifestyle clients eg" I'll hand you in a script tomorrow" etc.
This turned out to be a one-way system .The day that the other two pharmacies in the area were closed - one was blown up by thief searching oxygen supplying pharmacy with naked flame/ one was closed due to simple break-in. We too incidentally had been broken into so were working with hole in the roof, rain coming in and no electricity, but nice line in scented candles providing light....but as it was our own first business;there we were.
So when husband gave out usual dose to daily dispensed client who had been getting same 40mls for over a year and then discovered her usual 8 week script was actually only for two weeks and expired the day before - well you would hope for some reciprocal support?
No. Lead GP reported this to RPSGB and husband was hauled before stat. committee - and after much sleepless nights/correspondance pleading mitigating circumstances he was admonished. Same addict continued to receive her 40mls daily for another 3 yrs till we sold the business...........so could well still be on. Can't believe I am actually grateful to the Society for something, but there you go.
Heart goes out to anyone making innocent error - we work under stress and with best will in the world GPs expect us to bend to accomodate their failures but we may not receive the same respect in return sadly.This from experience.
And -
Just my opinion.
Seems we all have the same issues with DAT prescribing. Remember a few years back when I was working as a manager for a major multiple and received a phonecall from a locum at another branch in a dilema. A client regularly for the past few years had collected a weeks supply of methadone on the Saturday. Inexplicably, the script on this occasion for this supply was dated for the Sunday, when obviously the pharmacy was closed. The pharmacist had to make a call on the Saturday, with the clinic (obviously) being closed, and decided that the error was a simple clerical error on the part of the clinic. The GP point blank REFUSED to provide an alternative prescription to cover the script.
Since then, unfortunately, if the script is wrong, I always refer back to the clinic. If its closed, then they will have to chance out of hours if it is a BH or evening. This may comprimise patient care, but unfortunately I am not prepared to put my neck on the line and risk visiting the stat com.
My experience too. We are expected to cover the GPs “back, but they then refuse to return the favour. Must say it is usually a DD who is most difficult as they hate us with an intensity.
Co operation with GPs“? Pigs will fly soon. Sorry for errors, doing this from internet cafe in La Gomera.
johnep
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