Post Restante for delvery of Medicines ? (1 Viewer)

[Alistair33]

I'm wondering if anyone uses this service to have a family member post out to your medicines as I've just learned that the maximum the Gp's surgery are allowed to dispense is three months ?

Or perhaps there is an alternative I'm missing, maybe courier delivery to a planned campsite ?

 

[Hollyberry]

I had the ACSI book posted to a campsite in France & there was no problem. Reckon if you checked with the site beforehand there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[gus-lopez]

You can ask for a "cross border prescription " for any additional

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/health/help-from-the-pharmacy/prescription/index_en.htm

Here in Spain ,if you take the boxes in of the actual medicines you use most Farmácias will dispense them over the counter. Far cheaper than the UK.

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[pyro]

Here in Spain ,if you take the boxes in of the actual medicines you use most Farmácias will dispense them over the counter. Far cheaper than the UK.

Yep, same in Portugal. Either that or you have to sign a statement declaring that is what your doctor normally prescribes for you. My brother has been doing that for years with his "little blue gentleman's helpers"

 

[Flamenca]

I'm wondering if anyone uses this service to have a family member post out to your medicines

I did that once in the past and was informed afterwards that it is illegal to post prescription medication unless it is a medical professional who posts them.

 

[gus-lopez]

I did that once in the past and was informed afterwards that it is illegal to post prescription medication unless it is a medical professional who posts them.

Or you can if they state that it is ok to post them. I'd want itin writing though.

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[canopus]

If you tell your GP you're away for three months or more, then they are within their rights to chuck you out of their practice. I had a right old ding dong with the so called Practice Mangager(ess) who told me NO when I asked for more that three months. She more or less told me to lump it or leave it if I wasn't happy. They get money from the NHS every time they write a scrip, so its not cost effective for them if you toddle off on a jolly.

 

[Artycarl]

I used Post Restante for a year, the biggest problem I had was finding a Post Office that actually knew what that was, but I did eventually find one and got sent all sorts of packages over the year. I had a mail service Boat Mail and it worked really well. Not sure about medicines and the legality of sending them but might be possible.

 

[Alistair33]

I used Post Restante for a year, the biggest problem I had was finding a Post Office that actually knew what that was, but I did eventually find one and got sent all sorts of packages over the year. I had a mail service Boat Mail and it worked really well. Not sure about medicines and the legality of sending them but might be possible.

Finding one appears to be the main problem ( legality aside ) ... I'm hoping to pick a town, get the post office address and get the package sent on for collection when we pass through the town, so all in all perhaps a little hit and miss !

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[trophychap]

Why not simply visit a GP wherever you are, with your repeat prescription list and get a scrip for whatever you need? Costs c 20 -30 Euros for the GP, then whatever the co-pay is at the pharmacy? (cos Gps and scrips aren't free in France, and EHIC only puts us in the same position as someone local)

NHS rules say that GPs can't claim the 'per capita' payment they get for each patient if the person ceases to be resident - and yes this does apply for temporary absences too such as long holidays. After that, the person ceases to be on their 'list' and they don't get paid for them. It means that most people on tablets would be restricted to 3 x 28 days literally, rather than 3 calendar months but as long as Jenny knows we're going whenever, she starts like now ordering her repeats a little bit earlier than usual so she has some in hand by the time it gets to the start of the holiday - so we can get a bit longer. It's fairly rare for either one of us to have a period any longer than that between hospital appointments for various things anyway - and as those are all for life threatening things ......

 

[MaidinDevon]

My Gp would only give me three months on NHS script. However I could buy a private prescription fir another 3 months worth. The private prescription was very cheap. A couple of quid I think.

 

[Mikeco]

Usually buy ours from a Phamacia when in Spain, quite cheap for the ones we have, just show them your prescription or even empty box.

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[Shoeless]

We found this site recently and we're going to investigate further but this may be of use. It's the NHS Echo service which may be appropriate.

https://www.echo.co.uk/
https://www.echo.co.uk/
- Malc

 

[Alistair33]

A good try but they aren't able to post internationally

 

[pappajohn]

This dilemma would be so easy to overcome for me.
I order repeat scripts online.
They are sent electronically to my chosen pharmacy who then deliver the meds to my house.
Anyone at home could then post on to an address of my choice.

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[pappajohn]

If you tell your GP you're away for three months or more, then they are within their rights to chuck you out of their practice. I had a right old ding dong with the so called Practice Mangager(ess) who told me NO when I asked for more that three months. She more or less told me to lump it or leave it if I wasn't happy. They get money from the NHS every time they write a scrip, so its not cost effective for them if you toddle off on a jolly.

And if you don't renew after 3 months it will be on record and the practice script dispenser/manager will want to know why they weren't reordered when due.

 

[denisejoe]

Why not simply visit a GP wherever you are, with your repeat prescription list and get a scrip for whatever you need? Costs c 20 -30 Euros for the GP, then whatever the co-pay is at the pharmacy? (cos Gps and scrips aren't free in France, and EHIC only puts us in the same position as someone local)

NHS rules say that GPs can't claim the 'per capita' payment they get for each patient if the person ceases to be resident - and yes this does apply for temporary absences too such as long holidays. After that, the person ceases to be on their 'list' and they don't get paid for them. It means that most people on tablets would be restricted to 3 x 28 days literally, rather than 3 calendar months but as long as Jenny knows we're going whenever, she starts like now ordering her repeats a little bit earlier than usual so she has some in hand by the time it gets to the start of the holiday - so we can get a bit longer. It's fairly rare for either one of us to have a period any longer than that between hospital appointments for various things anyway - and as those are all for life threatening things ......

We can't do that now with our GP. They've got a new system in place and you can't order a repeat until 4 days before you need the new tablets, ie 28 days after you've picked up your list prescription.

Denise

 

[gus-lopez]

We can't do that now with our GP. They've got a new system in place and you can't order a repeat until 4 days before you need the new tablets, ie 28 days after you've picked up your list prescription.

Denise

Exactly the system we have here. 1 day before /7 after of repeat date & that is it. No advance prescriptions or 3 months supply.
They even brought in a " 30 days out of country & you are removed from health care " list & have to resign , & be able to comply , on your return.
I just get someone to collect mine on the due date . I buy the rest over counter before i go anywhere.
I think it was @Don Quixote who mentioned once that he was removed from the health system each time he went out of Spain.

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[sedge]

We can't do that now with our GP. They've got a new system in place and you can't order a repeat until 4 days before you need the new tablets, ie 28 days after you've picked up your list prescription.

Denise

ROFLMAO Denise - it takes them a good 3 if not 4 days after you request the scrip, to get the drugs from the pharmacy. Order Monday - nobody even does anything with it till Tuesday then it turns up with the actual doctors - one of em is responsible for 'signing' the repeats each weekday. However if they have a mega silly busy day (which is most days) they may not get round to your one until Wednesday. Each day, the authorised ones are then transmitted to the appropriate Pharmacy or printed, for folk who want to collect them from Reception themselves, at approx. 4.30 in the afternoons. As you can imagine - they can't possibly dispense all the ones they get each day, in the 90 minutes before closing - so unless I'm desperate I leave it till the next day. So - that will either be Weds morning if I was lucky - but because one can't possibly rely on that - I'd always leave it till Thursday morning anyway. I will take the last in one of the packets on Friday morning but I'll still have a week fortnight or whatever left of other stuff (and they all run out at different times because I was started on them all at different times)

Hence I order ALL my tabs and anything else I need in one go. Since there are 12 different items on my repeat scrip - no actually 13 - your GPs advertised method would have me ordering a scrip every day for almost 3 weeks!

Now - certain items - one cannot order only what one needs for 28 days - for the simple reason that the amount one needs is variable, by definition for that actual thing. For instance - insulin. Doses are variable, and are adjusted to match exactly what you happen to decide to eat. So, I used to use approx. one and a third vials every month. (there are also cartridges but let's not complicate the maths) Hence - my repeat scrip was for two at a time. Absolutely NO WAY can a diabetic using insulin afford to have less than the in-use vial plus another one spare ready in the fridge - since you have only to accidentally drop the damn thing whilst you're using it - and smash glass everywhere and the house stinks. It's OK if you drop it getting it in and out the fridge, cos they are in boxes with the PIL wrapped round them and usually come to no harm actually LOL It is truthfully a life and death situation when you need insulin to stay alive, to be without any.

Anyway - so you don't order another scrip for it every 28 days. You don't fill your sharps bin every month etc etc etc.

And so - every GP surgery has to make exceptions - for all sorts of things - and honestly the dire warnings and strict rules are intended to prevent people stockpiling NHS drugs they don't actually need - and eg selling the things on the quiet. If there is a genuine need - like 6 weeks holiday - if you actually ASK your GP and explain why - I don't believe he can refuse to supply you with what you need.

 

[rikfos]

Got enough pills for my wife for 6 months away. As soon as I got 1 months prescription I ordered another months and so on until I had got what I needed

 

[daved2524]

I

If you tell your GP you're away for three months or more, then they are within their rights to chuck you out of their practice. I had a right old ding dong with the so called Practice Mangager(ess) who told me NO when I asked for more that three months. She more or less told me to lump it or leave it if I wasn't happy. They get money from the NHS every time they write a scrip, so its not cost effective for them if you toddle off on a jolly.

I have the the same problems if I say I am away from my home address for more than three months I will be removed from there list and have to get another doctor at my new address. So it's not just if you go over seas it's if you are away from your home address.

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[denisejoe]

I am on 4 different tablets complained that i would have to come in 4 times for their new rules the receptionist wrote on script sync script and said I would get different amount of each tablet to sync them opens them up and still had 4 full packets,
The mind boggles at time

Joe