Pharmacy2U
Written: Wednesday, January 4, 2012One in three Brits has wasted a doctor's time by deciding against picking up the prescribed medicine, it emerged yesterday.
Researchers found millions of us have walked out of a surgery clutching the green slip only to head straight home without going to the pharmacy to collect it.
Most said they 'didn't have time', while others said they decided they would rather get better by themselves.
Fifteen per cent admitted that after hearing the diagnosis they couldn’t be bothered to get treatment. One in five said the price of the prescription was the issue, while twelve per cent said they disagreed with their diagnosis.
The figures emerged following a detailed study commissioned by mail order pharmacy Pharmacy2U.
Julian Harrison, Director at Pharmacy2U said: “Given the ever-increasing financial and patient demands on the NHS, it’s surprising to discover that so many people go to the effort of visiting their GP and then don’t pick up their medication.
''It appears that lack of time is an important factor. Busy lifestyles and the pressure to hold down a job in the current recession mean that many people simply can’t look after their health in the way they should, which is very worrying.
“One of the ways Pharmacy2U is helping is to offer a mail order service, so people can save time by having medications delivered to them at home or work.”
Other reasons that patients gave for not listening to their GP were that they didn’t like the idea of the side effects they might get if they took the medication and that they were too embarrassed to pick up the treatment.
The research also found that for those who require regular medications, a third claim to have forgotten to pick up a prescription and run out of essential drugs.
Harrison said: “It’s particularly concerning to see the number of patients on repeat medication who forget to pick up their prescription. Some of these patients are suffering from serious, long term complaints, such as diabetes, asthma and lung disease, where it’s vital to take the drugs your doctor has prescribed. That is why we’ve also introduced a reminder service to help reduce the number of patients running out of their essential medications.
“It’s clear that some people could be putting their life at risk, with many admitting to not managing their medication effectively.”
One in eight Brits admitted they had lost a prescription in the past between leaving the doctors and getting to the pharmacy, while two thirds said they had found the same treatment cheaper off the shelf than what it would have cost them on prescription from the NHS.
A third of Brits said they had come to regret not picking up their prescription while a similar amount (33 per cent) admitted they had probably wasted their doctor’s time by even booking an appointment.
Nearly 30 per cent had gone to their GP after scaring themselves about their health by checking symptoms online.
Harrison said: “Many people are now turning to the web to self-diagnose a health problem – but it can be easy to misinterpret symptoms and cause additional stress and worry about the cause. It’s always best to speak to your GP if you have any concerns, who can advise what and indeed if, medication is needed.”
