Right, this is going to turn into a bit of a rant against bl***y politicians and bean counters, sorry…
So I ring 111 and speak to a nice lady who puts me on to the out of hours doc. He phones 15 minutes later. So far so good.
Except this doctor is for South Northants, and is only able to find pharmacies open in Brackley or Northampton, either of which would involve a 90 minute round trip. Our surgery is in Hanslope, a village on the north edge of Milton Keynes and wholly in Bucks, as are we. However, our surgery is part of a group of four, and all the rest are in Northants. The doctor is unable to find pharmacies in Milton Keynes, and even if he could, he would not be able to send a prescription through. He apologises.
I get back onto 111. Another nice lady says she can’t put me through to a Milton Keynes out of hours doctor. She makes a special effort for me, but Milton Keynes won’t take it, because I’m registered to a Northants practice. That, remember, is a Milton Keynes resident registered to a practice with an MK address, but classed as a Northants practice. I can’t get a prescription sent through to where I live!
But… deep breath… I finally found a list of local pharmacies open today, not easy despite Googling all sorts of versions of ‘Milton Keynes’, ‘Easter’, ‘pharmacy’, ‘open hours’, ‘duty chemists’ etc etc etc
I rang Boots in Stony Stratford, their pharmacy is open and the pharmacist will dispense to Ruth on production of a repeat scrip or a meds box, although she really is supposed to see the actual patient. At last, common sense!!
None of this is the fault of the nice people at the sharp end. It’s bl***y politicians and bean counters. ARRGGHH!
rant over, sorry about that.
Kev