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[Postmeno3]

Hi,
Having navigated the choppy waters to finally get to a Menopause Clinic and feeling I had started a long, but hopefully productive voyage ahead (including starting systemic hrt), I am gobsmacked to find the NHS specialist's prescriptions now being questioned by a newly appointed pharmacist to my local gp practice. I was grilled yesterday about the prescription and made to feel that there isn't a case for everything I've started on, which couldn't be more minimal! The thought of a whole new "battle" beginning this soon with a pharmacist is not an attractive one and I feel it was wholly inappropriate of her to put me in a position of having to almost justify what a SPECIALIST had prescribed. It's beyond me why she didn't take it up with her and not me and where is the gp role in this equation? Is anyone else coming across this sort of development more recently? I'm wondering if cost-cutting rather than human need is the name of the game. If this is the case, it's pretty shocking! Hmmmmm.....my specialist review coming up soon should be really interesting! Any thoughts, ladies?
Thanks!

[sheila99]

She wouldn't dare question the specialist so she has a go at you instead  . Grrrr.... I'd ask her why she thinks she knows more than the specialist but perhaps I'm a bit too confrontational.

[Postmeno3]

Thanks. The trouble is, scenarios like this MAKE us confrontational, no? We strive and we strive and we strive and there's always somebody waiting in the wings to undermine the clawing progress we make. That's how it feels today, anyway, because I'm exhausted. I was not prepared to be diverted to a pharmacist as we've never had one. Having to be that reactive always backfoots me and I can't find the immediacy of response as you so appropriately suggest, but I don't understand why the prescription was being scrutinised in the first place. Hmmmmm......

[CLKD]

I would ring the Consultant, explain, give the name of the Pharmacist and C if they will contact her directly? 

It mayB that the Pharmacist is on a learning curve?

[Taz2]

How frustrating!! Take it to a different pharmacy? What are the products causing such questions?

Taz x

[Postmeno3]

Thanks, Taz. The pharmacist is newly attached to my gp practice as part of the team. The prescription came into the practice from the specialist, but somehow, instead of being signed off by the recipient gp, it has ended up being passed on to, scrutinised and questioned by this new person in this new position. All I have currently is Estring (which I've had for years and was merely retained by the specialist meantime), Vagifem three times a week and Evorel 25 patches twice a week. It may be that the Estring can be left out of the regime from the next review now that everything has been boosted, but, to me, it's for the specialist to determine given she has the full picture leading to and of the status quo, willingness to treat holistically  and the expertise? 🤔
P.S. Generous thought, CLKD, re learning curve. I think I'm best to express my concerns with the specialist face-to-face and trust she will do what's fitting.

[CLKD]

That would B my 1st line of call, ? this morning ?

[Dierdre]

I had my last review with the pharmacist that is now part of the team at my surgery and was not impressed. He recommrned i reduced my vagifem from 5 to 4 a week as they can cause blood clots!  I told him im not reducing anything and my mediction was prescribed by a specialised consultant. If im ever ask to do my yearly review again with this idiot i will refuse.

[Joaniepat]

Dierdre has the right idea. These items are prescribed by a specialist. End of conversation.
JP x

[suzysunday]

Yes I feel really annoyed for you postmeno. What a nerve!  I know what you mean about being put on the spot, then think of replies when the moment has gone !  It's a good idea to ring the consultant, but these days no one seems to answer phone anywhere official! 

[Postmeno3]

Thanks, everyone. I do hope this apparent devolving of responsibility isn't going to become a theme and little tin gods become the norm because the power has been handed to them. Admittedly, pharmacists can be very useful for advice and can have really useful knowledge of single drugs and usage. However, I feel strongly it is most definitely not their place to interfere with specialist recommendations or try to control a regime. I hope most sincerely a new trend is not emerging.

[CLKD]

I understand that in many English Surgeries, receptionists have been on 'courses' to enable them to act as triage to the point that some potentially fatal illnesses may be missed!  A 17 year old friend had a urine infection which she knew required ABs, the receptionist suggested that she should see the GP in 2 weeks.  She insisted on speaking to the Nurse Practitioner who told her to attend immediately.  Wonder if the BMA are insuring these receptionists?

Deirdre - that's a man who knows nowt?  MayB refer him to the appropriate FaceBook group ;-).  Instead of talking with the patient to find out what might work/not, therefore gaining information ----------    I don't need a soap box!

[Joaniepat]

Deirdre - that's a man who knows nowt?  MayB refer him to the appropriate FaceBook group ;-).  Instead of talking with the patient to find out what might work/not, therefore gaining information ----------    I don't need a soap box!

The private Vaginal Atrophy Facebook support group is WOMEN ONLY. The admins and moderators do get applications from men, generally with accompanying photos and promises of a nice time etc, but these creeps have misunderstood the purpose of the group 😁.
JP x

[suzysunday]

Good grief, some blokes think it's all about them!

[CLKD]

Point taken Joaniepat - there ought to be a group specifically for men ....... I need to get on my horse and start handing out The Book again