ED Chemists

[Michael Palaeologus]

I have had a rather disappointing experience at The Vale Pharmacy. A few months ago I became truly middle aged when I required a repeat prescription. The Vale Pharmacy is the most convenient for me and so lodged my prescription with them.

Its not a difficult prescription or indeed an unusual one; but it just seemed to cause real problems. The final straw was when I turned up on Saturday to be told that my prescription (ordered on Tuesday) wasnt ready and to come back today, they had been "busy" - this or similar has happened every time I have requested a prescription from them.

I phoned the The Gardens Surgery this morning to check what was happening and was told that they received the prescription request on the 20th, but nobody had collected it. I told them my story and they advised me to use Maceys on North Cross Road - which I did and got the impression that they were really rather well organised.

The Pharmacist at The Vale is a nice guy, but in my experience it does seem to lack organisation, which is a bit bothersome as they are dealing with presciption drugs.

Any other experiences?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Completely unrelated but regarding the Coop chemist: I was advised to go in there today by the lovely Maggie from the subterranean antique shop who knew I was looking for some non-safety matches for an old match stand. I've been looking for ages (only obscure American brands seemed available on the internet) as Swan Vesta are too harsh.

All this time they were just round the corner and the assistant in there was so lovely.

No idea how their prescription system works though.

[do I win the competition for most irrelevant/unhelpful post of the day?]

[Sue]

I've always found Maceys (Macys?) on North Cross Road to be very good, and the pharmacist will tell you if the over-the-counter cost of the prescription is cheaper than the NHS cost, without asking (or maybe I just look very poor :)) )

[wee quinnie]

I like Day Lewis. The last time I went in there, we had a good mathematical session with a calculator to work out what was the cheapest way to buy iron tablets. Fantastic!

[Ant]

I always use Maceys these days. I had to get a repeat prescription for my youngest daughter for a few months a while back - not the sort of stuff any chemist would usually keep hanging about either - and they were always very good about getting it ordered in plenty of time so that she never ran out. They even went the extra mile to make sure they got it in a flavour she'd actually swallow rather than spit out. I'd say they're well organised and thoughtful. Much better than the chemist opposite the library, who've just seemed downright odd every time I've been in there. The only other one I've ever used is the Co-op who seemed OK.

[Marmora Man]

Have always found Macey's to be excellent - high on general customer focussed service that many other shops in ED could / should adopt.

[dulwichmum]

The chemist on Half Moon Lane has won all kinds of awards for super consumer type perfectness and they have an amazing range of supplements and organic thingymabobs and bleech free nappies. There really should be a branch on Lordship Lane (sigh). The pharmacist has young children himself, and truely understands the exhaustion on my au pairs face. Brockwell Park Pharmacy, 7 Half Moon Lane, (020) 7274 3928

[Moos]

Up with Maceys!

[Curmudgeon]

ROFL at repeat prescription making you middle aged

Maceys is an excellent, organised, empathetic pharmacist and by far the best IME

[candj]

Absolutely LOVE Macey's Chemist. They are all so nice and I have on occasion rang up Mr. Patel to ask him questions over the phone when my kids have had little bugs, etc. Superb service.

[Goodliz]

I am a fan of Macey's too. The Pharmacist has a great gift of being able to remember my children's names which makes me feel very special!!!

[WorriedMum]

Totally agree about Maceys. They always give helpful advice too. The chemist at the Plough once refused to take a prescription that was difficult to read. Told me to go back to SELDOC with my very poorly little one to get it rewritten. Went to Maceys with it who were also puzzled but phoned SELDOC to sort it out for me. Plough also only accept cash for prescriptions - not sure why.

[????]

Piles are a bugger aren't they Michael

[dulwichmum]

Dear ????,

I saw the operation to remove them once on TV, apparently it affords great comfort. They use a garden sheers to lop them off apparently...

[Jeremy]

Macey's stock the more environmentally friendly asthma inhalers... great in principle, but they fall to bits and aren't as effective, so I go elsewhere!

[Fuschia]

Maceys call my doctor and get the prescription faxed through if my doctors have messed up, and have also offered to deliver, if needed! The chemist up by the library is good, too.

[Michael Palaeologus]

I am pleased to say that I have no problems at that end :))

[rsn]

whatever you do, do not go to maceys on Northcross Road. Dangerously incompetent!! There is a Royal Pharmaceutical investigation into prescription errors currently running case no:709054

[SteveT]

Maceys v.good

Co-op V.good

Brockwell park Pharmacy V.good

Asda wellll you knowwwww its ok.

[KalamityKel]

Disappointed with the Co-op yesterday... urgently in need of some Calpol for Nathan and so sent father over to the Co-op to get some. It was 5:15pm (they advertise a closing time of 5:30pm) so just enuff time to pop in and out. A shop assistant, by the name of Sue, tried to stop my father entering, dialogue as follows:

Shop assistant: "we close in 5 mins"

Father: "it says on the door 5:30"

Shop assistant: "that's the time we actually leave the building"

Father: "but that's not what it says on the door"

Refusing to argue further my dad then just asked for calpol for under 5s. She repeated what he had asked for and the picked up a bottle of the stuff rang it up and asked for payment. Whilst she was doing this my dad noticed it wasn't what he had asked for and pointed this out to get a rude response of "You said for over 6yrs. I heard exactly what you said." My dad responded politely "please don't tell me what I said. I know exactly what I said. I asked for under 5s. you even repeated it back"

It seemed a pointless argument and my father decided it wasn't worth it.

Maybe a one off bad experience but still not impressive. Say the mistake wasn't picked up on until my father had got home, by which time the chemist would have been shut. He would then have had to have gone out and spent more on buying another bottle from somewhere else... tut tut tut