New 10 Day Wait For Prescription Processing Creates Repeat Prescription Hell In Preston

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With the NHS health service stretched to breaking point over Covid-19, it is not surprising that many regular services they provide are in disarray. I have an ongoing repeat prescription for 10mg a day of Amlodipine, as my blood pressure can go off the scale unchecked. They normally routinely give me 8 weeks worth and see me about once a year at the local Tanterton Health Centre. It has until now usually taken three days from me telling them my supply is running out to them having the next few boxes ready for my next two months. That was in the BC era (Before Corona). I phoned in to request my latest stash as I was down to six days (my usual cue to reorder) only to be told it no longer takes 3 days to process the repeats but ten. Not texting or e-mailing me this information before I ended up leaving it too late to apply ten days in advance is really inexcusable, unforgivable and deadly. It means after Monday's last dose I may have 3-4 days with no meds at all. I was told that they would 'try' to process it all quickly for me, but telling me of the change before now, by e-mail or text would have been nice - getting blood pressure treatment is now the biggest threat to my blood pressure I've yet to be given the prescription documentation from the doctors so most chemists would just have my word that I'm even a patient. – I hoped to sort it out Monday - the day my last dose runs out but realized that is bank holiday so may have to wait for Tuesday now - Correction - reliably informed that the May Day Bank Holiday has been cancelled as we are having a Victory In Europe bank holiday on May 8th - Friday, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the war against Hitler, which should be an as well as holiday not an instead of Friends on a neighbourhood forum here in Ingol, Preston are now in a similar deadly quandary. Some are kindly and bravely offering to lend me their own Amlodipine which I can reimburse them when the surgery / pharmacy finally get their act together and provide my official stash. Great that people are willing to risk Covid-19 to exchange the drugs for an unconnected health problem, but it really ought not to be necessary and the local service really needs to recognise that while not fashionable in the Covid-crisis, Blood Pressure and other health issues are potentially life threatening too. Arthur Chappell