Incident at pharmacy in Dulwich village

[sammygnw23]

I had my toddler with me in Dulwich park and he had a nasty fall on the gravel by the lake. He grazed a knee and an elbow quite badly so after a stop in the cafe loos trying to stop the bleeding and clean the grit out the wounds I rushed him down to the pharmacy (Rumsey) in the village for large plasters.

I got in there - there were 2 men behind the counter and when it was my turn I explained that my child had a fall and asked for assistance - I bought an anti-septic spray and large bandages - but I was really surprised how unhelpful and unsympathetic they were. My child was crying in pain since I had made the mistake of pressing tissue against the wounds to stop the copious bleeding and the tissue had stuck in the deep wounds. (I won't be making that mistake again). There was still loads of grit in there too - despite attempts in the cafe toilets to wash the wounds. I was almost crying myself (it is horrid when your child is so distressed) and the men behind the counter offered no help, no words of sympathy, no advice, but INSTEAD made snide comments to each other about how I was using the wrong spray and should be using a anti-bacterial wipe first. When I entered the chemist I asked for advice which I wasn't given ("we aren't trained to give advice") and they refused point blank to even look at my son. They told me if I was concerned to take him to a doctor.

So to then overhear them talking loudly that I was doing it all wrong as my child cried his eyes out was the most unhelpful thing ever. I have never been anywhere and asked for help with a crying child to be met with such

indifference. They didn't once look my toddler in the face and ask him if he was ok or offer ANY words at all. They all but ignored us unless asked a direct question - which was met with a wave of the hand. As I paid for the spray and bandages I told them they hadn't been very helpful, and that I had recently been somewhere (the Lloyds pharmacy on Northcross Rd - fantastic service) when my child had been unwell for some advice and they had been so kind and given him lots of attention and lots of reassurance to me - so could the Rumsey think about their customer service levels? They simply told me that if somewhere gave me better service to go there in future and not bother using them.

Obviously I will be doing this in future - it is just a shame that this pharmacy in Dulwich village doesn't have any competition around it. Anyway I can't stop thinking about this altercation - is this normal behaviour? Has anyone else found these men rude? Did they for some reason take a dislike to me? Also why wasn't there a trained pharmacist on hand to give advice? Isn't that what a chemist shop is all about? Somewhere to go for advice?

Sorry - new to the area and need to vent as just was astonished at this experience. Any thoughts anyone?

[Fuschia]

Given that there are signs up in the Gp suggesting the pharmacist as the appropriate person to see for certain minor ailments and injuries, it's pretty disappointing to hear of your experience. I hope you and your child are both ok now.

[Fuschia]

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/pharmacists/Pages/pharmacistsandchemists.aspx

[Belle]

I think that's appalling customer service! As you & F say, we are encouraged to use pharmacists in the way you attempted to. Ok maybe it's all a bit bureacratic i.e. if they're not trained they can't say what they think but to then bitch about what course you took within earshot is so unprofessional & unhelpful. And yes, just nasty not to at least offer some sympathy or say when the pharmacist might be available. Worth writing a letter to the owners?

It's so hard to know where to go for help for things like this which fall between stuff we can just deal with easily ourselves, and stuff which necessitates an emergency visit to the doctor or even A&E. When I was little there was a nurse in our local GP surgery who provided a drop in for situations just like this, which mean e.g. whenever one of us had a fall from our bike which was a bit borderline, we could pop in there for her help. Wish that was still an option.

[mima08]

Hiya, sorry to hear about your horrible experience, and totally understand your need to "vent" - bad attitude like this is particularly distressing when you have a crying toddler and are worried about them. Hope you are all ok now. I don't personally know that pharmacy and live more in the Peckham direction but please be assured that most places around here are really nice, friendly and helpful. I always found the Lloyds Pharmacy, as well as the one on Lordship lane (think they are called Sogims?) excellent. Boots on Rye Lane is a bit hit & miss, IMO. I hope you are settling in well - you & your kids will love it here!

mx

[GinaG3]

I used to work in boots and our pharmacist would help people that came in with minor ailments. We saw many people with things ranging from grazes to stings and were always professional. We even had a first aider or 2 and emergency kits for use on the public, I believe this is usually the norm in larger chemists. We were a first aid post, as we were a seaside town full of tourists and peak season saw a lot of accidents on the seafront.

Although a pharmacist isn't medically trained the same way as a doctor/nurse is, they are still trained in knowing the types of coverings that should be used certain injuries, as are they trained in antiseptics, vitamins, sometimes herbal products, sprain support and are generally very knowledgable medically. At least all the pharmacists I've worked alongside have been.

I'm sorry for your experience today. Can't say I've ever been in the village chemist so can't comment on the actual people in question. Hope your both feeling a bit better now.

[buggie]

How horrible & unsympathetic - can completely understand how distressing & upsetting it must've been & that even if they weren't trained to treat/help they still could have shown compassion or helped you.

I would suggest though that this would've been fully appropriate for A&E - cleaning grit out needs a clean area and lots of water. Think when it comes to advice on burns/injuries It's the very minor end (whaler which many sort out themselves) that pharmacists would expect to advise on.

[prm]

That is horrible! Hope your son is ok now and thanks for posting your story here, I will certainly make sure that I never buy anything from them and I am sure many others won't either. That is the power of forums like this..if businesses are not prepared to treat their customers properly they will suffer the consequences.

[Saffron]

If they didn't feel qualified to give advice themselves, they could have at least suggested that you needed to go to A&E.

How is your little boy now? If you're worried at all about the wound, take him to A&E in the morning. xx

[Monkey]

The owner has always been good to me. On my first visit, he allowed me to get some baby milk which I needed and pay later when I realised I had forgotten my purse. I can't imagine he was one of the two men you mentioned and my gut instinct is that he would take a very dim view of their behaviour. Why don't you write to him? Mind you, this thread will most probably come to his attention.

I do hope you get an apology and that your little one is ok.

[ClareC]

Def write in, these men sound like they are in the wrong job! What nasty characters!

[sammygnw23]

Hi

Thanks everyone - I feel a lot better about the whole thing now - my son is ok - a friends suggested a long bath together to get everything out the wound so that is what we did. It does sting when they get in the water - but not forever and when we got out we cuddled and watched TV and I left the wound unbandaged so it could dry out.

I still don't understand about the pharmacy not having anyone trained on-hand. If so why were there 2 of them behind the counter? And I will never ever go in there again. But I really really appreciate the encouragement from you guys. Thanks.

[kittysailing]

Leaving all Medical advice/non advice aside - what humane person doesn't offer even the vaguest of sympathetic utterings when witnessing a toddler in distress. You don't expect the milk of human kindness to gush every time your toddler takes a tumble but that behaviour sounds totally unacceptable. Speak to the manager. Best wishes to your little one.

[Saffron]

Well said, Kittysailing! xx

[vesti]

Can't comment on the incident. Sorry to hear your child was hurt.

Can comment on the pharmacy.

We have used them for years and years and the staff have always been remarkably helpful:

chasing down prescription items that other pharmacies said they couldn't get hold of for ages

advising on products

suggesting cheaper (same quality/effect) products

chasing after me when I forgot my ? card.

I have never witnessed rudeness. I have seen them responding with charm and politeness in the face of some right shouty, up-themselves customers!

[Saffron]

And surely that's all the more reason for the OP to make a complaint.