Anyone use Lloyd's direct for delivered meds?

[PositronicRay]

Any good? And is it easy to switch back if not?

Our usual pharmacy isn't particularly efficient plus a 12 mike round trip.

[Tyre Smoke]

I use Pharmacy 2U. Been absolutely brilliant. The app seems much easier to use (might just be me) as well.

[Paul Dishman]

The problem with using a remote pharmacy is that when things go wrong you're up st creek without a paddle. Pharmacy 2U system failed around Christmas one year and left a lot of patients scratching around trying to sort their medication out.

[Frenchda]

Pill Time - they arrive in dosage packets. In the 3 years I have been using never an issue.

pilltime.co.uk

[A500leroy]

https://www.royalmail.com/health

[PositronicRay]

Paul Dishman said:

The problem with using a remote pharmacy is that when things go wrong you're up st creek without a paddle. Pharmacy 2U system failed around Christmas one year and left a lot of patients scratching around trying to sort their medication out.

Yes this is a worry, I've heard some poor reports.

[jimmydash]

I've used Lloyds direct for years, always been bang on time, I order repeat prescriptions a minimum of 10 days before i need them, generally the surgery approves same day, Lloyds despatch within a day or 2 with 48 hour delivery. Simples.

[Boosted LS1]

I can vouch for lloyds as well.

They send email reminders, I tick the box and a few days later the packet arrives in the post. It couldn't be simpler or more convenient.

[Aston Traveller]

PositronicRay said:

Paul Dishman said:

The problem with using a remote pharmacy is that when things go wrong you're up st creek without a paddle. Pharmacy 2U system failed around Christmas one year and left a lot of patients scratching around trying to sort their medication out.

Yes this is a worry, I've heard some poor reports.

Yes Paul is absolutely correct. I have lost count of the number of times a patient has had problems with these companies. Items out of stock- tough. Snow affecting deliveries-tough. Any “difficult” items they are not interested. Any item that needs special ordering they are not interested. Patients then expect the local pharmacy to sort it out.
I am not saying that many people are not pleased with the service provided but it can be a real problem if it not a bog standard item that will be easily available or in stock.

[WyrleyD]

Same as the above two posts. I've used them for a number of years (they used to be Echo Pharmacy) and never had any complaints.

[Insert Coin]

I got a packet of stiffy in a jiffy tablets and they were delivered promptly, would use both again

I’ve also had Omeprezole from them too.

[Boosted LS1]

It also spared me having to stand in queues at the chemist whilst trying to avoid covid.

[PositronicRay]

Aston Traveller said:

PositronicRay said:

Paul Dishman said:

The problem with using a remote pharmacy is that when things go wrong you're up st creek without a paddle. Pharmacy 2U system failed around Christmas one year and left a lot of patients scratching around trying to sort their medication out.

Yes this is a worry, I've heard some poor reports.

Yes Paul is absolutely correct. I have lost count of the number of times a patient has had problems with these companies. Items out of stock- tough. Snow affecting deliveries-tough. Any “difficult” items they are not interested. Any item that needs special ordering they are not interested. Patients then expect the local pharmacy to sort it out.
I am not saying that many people are not pleased with the service provided but it can be a real problem if it not a bog standard item that will be easily available or in stock.

Thx as i suspected.

Although our regular pharmacy is a bit disorganised, and awkward to get too, they have proved helpful when things are tough.

[egor110]

Royal mail health are going into this line as well.

[Sticks.]

Being delivered by the Post Office, I'm not sure what happens for people whose stuff doesn't fit through the letter box. If it's returned to the PO depot, that'd be a 35 mile round trip for me.

That being said, my local Lloyd's is now on reduced hours each day, closed Saturdays and, as well as the branch 5 miles away, frequently closed because of no pharmacist. If it's still open by Christmas I'll be surprised. Pharmacy in the next village seems to have no problems.

[A500leroy]

Sticks. said:

Being delivered by the Post Office, I'm not sure what happens for people whose stuff doesn't fit through the letter box. If it's returned to the PO depot, that'd be a 35 mile round trip for me.

That being said, my local Lloyd's is now on reduced hours each day, closed Saturdays and, as well as the branch 5 miles away, frequently closed because of no pharmacist. If it's still open by Christmas I'll be surprised. Pharmacy in the next village seems to have no problems.

You to pick a 'safeplace' or neighbour to deliver too.

[NDA]

PositronicRay said:

Any good? And is it easy to switch back if not?

Our usual pharmacy isn't particularly efficient plus a 12 mike round trip.

I use them for the various Smarties (9 a day) I have to take. I have two weeks 'in hand' so they think I am running out on June 1st when in fact it's June 14th.

They are always late 'waiting on stock', but with my buffer, they do arrive - eventually.

I assume, but might be wrong, that the meds come from my normal surgery.

[Paul Dishman]

Sticks. said:

That being said, my local Lloyd's is now on reduced hours each day, closed Saturdays and, as well as the branch 5 miles away, frequently closed because of no pharmacist. If it's still open by Christmas I'll be surprised. Pharmacy in the next village seems to have no problems.

Lloyds have had a reputation for not treating their staff particularly well for years now, but got away with this pre-Brexit by employing a lot of Spanish and Portuguese pharmacists. Consequently they are struggling for regular employee pharmacists and are having to rely on self-employed locum pharmacists while making out to patients that there is a shortage of pharmacists. There isn't a shortage of pharmacists, just ones being prepared to work for Lloyds and some of the other multiples including Tesco.

Tesco have also managed to add to their own woes by capping locum rates at below the current market rate. They are now struggling for locums, while telling the public that there is a "national shortage of pharmacists", which is a downright lie. Their final piece of foot shooting was the genius idea to tell booked locums that they wouldn't be honouring the agreed fee, as they had reduced rates for everyone. Not surprisingly, they then lost all the pre-booked locums.

[Paul Dishman]

A500leroy said:

Sticks. said:

Being delivered by the Post Office, I'm not sure what happens for people whose stuff doesn't fit through the letter box. If it's returned to the PO depot, that'd be a 35 mile round trip for me.


You to pick a 'safeplace' or neighbour to deliver too.

That's an utter nightmare. What happens if the meds are missing from the safeplace or if the neighbours help themselves? It's also illegal for any scheduled drug under the MDA- which includes benzodiazepines, opiate pain killers, pregabalin, tramadol etc

We always delivered to the patient's address and obtained a signature. Nobody in, no delivery.

[Paul Dishman]

NDA said:

I use them for the various Smarties (9 a day) I have to take. I have two weeks 'in hand' so they think I am running out on June 1st when in fact it's June 14th.

They are always late 'waiting on stock', but with my buffer, they do arrive - eventually.

I assume, but might be wrong, that the meds come from my normal surgery.

Do you mean the prescription comes from your normal surgery? The meds would come from whichever online pharmacy dispensed the prescription