Are we too available...

[Pharmanaut]

...Just had a very tiring saturday.

Mainly due to the telephone ringing practically non-stop which made the work pile up with long waiting times.
I'm thinking about reviewing how available I am on the telephone - and ask people to call back at a specific time.
Then there were folk who we had never seen before rushing in because their usual pharmacy had closed with prescriptions for odd doses for young adults and children; so no PMR or patient notes to check against.
"Our usual pharmacy doesn't ask us any questions" scenario.

I'm probably going to get complaints from 'upstairs' about this.

[radiohead]

This is not a new phenomenon.
However, it seems to be getting worse. I am finding it increasingly difficult, to be checking Rx and phone calls and simultaneously handling queries at the shop front.
I am a locum, and if I dared raise this with the locum co-ordinator or the area manager, I would probably be never be booked again.
All this and the daily MUR targets.
Is this ever going to change.
I fear not.

[Pharmanaut]

This is not a new phenomenon.
However, it seems to be getting worse. I am finding it increasingly difficult, to be checking Rx and phone calls and simultaneously handling queries at the shop front.
I am a locum, and if I dared raise this with the locum co-ordinator or the area manager, I would probably be never be booked again.
All this and the daily MUR targets.
Is this ever going to change.
I fear not.

Not a good time economically to be thinking about a career change, but it is all getting unmanageable - even for someone with 30 years experience, finely tuned ears to what's going on and eyes in back of my head.
Would help things along if the staff stopped chatting about facebook and got on with it. Sense of urgency seems to have gone these days and they seem to just flop around. Despite me saying 'Counter Please', 'Reception Please' etc etc.
(OK not everywhere is like this - just getting it off my chest!)

[culchie82]

If you look at any of the traditional Professions ie Medicine, Law, Accountancy, Engineering, I think the level of respect stems from the fact that they aren't available to the General publics beck and call. If you want a consultation, make an appointment and if you don't agree you can feck off. This accessibility issue is precisely why I don't really consider Community to be a Profession.

[hibernia]

..Then there were folk who we had never seen before rushing in because their usual pharmacy had closed with prescriptions for odd doses for young adults and children; so no PMR or patient notes to check against.
"Our usual pharmacy doesn't ask us any questions" scenario.

"And your usual pharmacy doesn't open on a Saturday afternoon. It isn't in a Health Centre by any chance?"

If we act like doormats then there is no point in complaining that we are walked all over. Respect has to be earned and if you don't respect yourself then nobody else will. Does anybody know of a doctor, dentist, lawyer, accountant or engineer who is available to the public during lunch? Or a plumber or electrician for that matter.

[Defblade]

Mainly due to the telephone ringing practically non-stop which made the work pile up with long waiting times.
I'm thinking about reviewing how available I am on the telephone - and ask people to call back at a specific time.

I've said this many times (some of them on here!): LEARN TO IGNORE THE PHONE.

Asking to call back doesn't help... you may be busy then, too.

I still can't think of anything that's urgent enough anyone could ring the pharmacy about that I should break off (and so possibly mess up) another piece of work to deal with it. If it's that urgent, it's probably an ambulance job.

I have been known to unplug the phone for half an hour.

[johnep]

It is a hard lesson to learn. I used to drop everything to answer the phone. Most were asking what time we closed or staff phoning to say could not come in. I was taken on one side by the dispensary manager and told that if dealing with a pt or customer, should ignore the phone. They would always phone back if necessary. In the end we got an answer phone which gave hours dispensary was open and asked caller to leave a message. These were then dealt with as possible.
johnep

[mrmeds]

I've said this many times (some of them on here!): LEARN TO IGNORE THE PHONE.

Asking to call back doesn't help... you may be busy then, too.

I still can't think of anything that's urgent enough anyone could ring the pharmacy about that I should break off (and so possibly mess up) another piece of work to deal with it. If it's that urgent, it's probably an ambulance job.

I have been known to unplug the phone for half an hour.

hmm see what you mean, but its also frustratiing when you're trying to phone the surgery urgently and you can't get through because the phone just rings, or if you're trying to help another patient find an item that you think another pharmacy may have.

[hibernia]

Have you ever rung a surgery and had a doctor answer the phone?
Does the receptionist put you straight on to the doctor without establising who you are or what you want to talk about?
Does a doctor ignore a patient to answer your call, no matter how important or urgent it is?

If your pharmacy doesn't have someone available to answer the phone who is trained to deal with most queries and to screen calls before passing them to the pharmacist then use an answering machine for all but the quiet times.

[drh785]

Yes I think we are too available and this can result in:

1. Over familiarity with customers and all of the associated problems that this brings - loaning money to people, loaning out tablets, people wanting you to break the law for them as you 'are their mate'.

2. Being seen as a 'soft touch' which applies to our unruly and unscrupulous customers - such as addicts.