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Previously, I understand that if you are on a new contract with the company, you don’t get paid extra for Sundays worked. But recently I found out, if I work Sunday as my 6^th day in the week, I will get paid time and a half!! Woohoo.

I guess I will be working more Sundays from now onwards. Working 6hours but getting paid for 9hours is awesome! Sundays are normally quiet, and you get to do all the odd jobs and fewer interruptions too.

I also just found out any hours worked above 45hours will also be paid time and a half.  I am so pleased with that!!

So today was my 1^st day back to work after the New Year’s break. I was down to work in a small pharmacy today in town, so I only had to do half day, as the bigger branch pharmacies are open whole day. Well, because it is bank holiday, surgeries are not opened, delivery drivers are not working so we don’t get any goods, it was very quiet.

I can’t believe how quiet we were. In the 4 hours, we only had 9 customers, and 1 prescription! I spent the the free time helping with date checking, and completing my e-learning. The best thing is, I get paid 8 hours for working 4hours. It was indeed a very easy day at work today. Did you have to work on bank holiday?

Do you have this problem that you need to do everything before you leave your work place?? For me, I am so used to trying to finish everything, and clearing up all the mess, so that the next morning when the pharmacist arrives, he/she will have a good start and clean dispensary to work in, just the same way I want it for myself.

Most of the time, I get into a pharmacy, there are lots to do, all the work from previous day or days, mess in the dispensary, no proper checking place etc. I really loathe stores that are unorganized. I understand that certain stores are very busy, and they havn’t got time to finish all the prescriptions on the same day, but I think the least one can do is to keep the dispensary bench tidy and clear at the end of the day, so to allow the pharmacist to work in a conducive environment, I think that would greatly influence the number of errors to minimum too. 

Today is my first time working in Teignmouth! What an experience. This pharmacy is very different from all other pharmacies that I have been to, the dispensary is upstairs, all the dispensers will be upstairs working on the prescriptions, whilst the pharmacist checks downstairs in the main dispensary, facing all the customers.

Prescriptions that we take in from downstairs, we put them in a zipped bag, and press a green button and send the bag up through the loop chute to the dispensary upstairs where the dispensers get it ready, and send it back down via the same route. If there are any problems, you speak through the intercom.

Many pharmacists found it a nightmare working in this store, but I actually thought it is not too bad, this store is very organised, and the counter staff are ever so helpful, they work on the OTC counter as well as help to take in prescriptions, so the pharmacist only need to focus on checking.

well, when I woke up this morning, I felt really rough, as I have this horrible sore throat. I sense that I am going to have a cold soon. Having only 5 hours sleep didn’t help much either. So today is the day. thought I’d be working in paignton, doing the carehomes once again, just like last wednesday, nightmare.

When I was checking my 1st home, I felt I was not with it at all, very very slow, then came a phone call. The pharmacist in Teignmouth is poorly and have to go home, asking me to go over there to cover him. Hmm, was that blessing in disguise? I ain’t sure.

It was sure a very busy store, with many walk ins. At the end of the day after counting the prescriptions, guess what? We did over 600 items!!! Omg. That is ridiculously busy day eh? So whether or not coming over to this store was a blessing in disguise? Well, it could have been worst in the other with the homes, who knows.

Will I do more MUR(medicines use review) just to get advantage card points? No I wouldn’t. I would do an MUR if I find a patient suitable and would benefit from our service. I just don’t agree with signing any Tom Dick and Harry for MUR and FRPS. I enjoy my job as a pharmacist, but I really dislike the pressure of doing 10 MURs a week, and FRPS sign ups, and if you do so and so many sign ups, the company gives you incentives.

I will only do what is good for the patients, be it I don’t get my bonus. Last Monday, I did 4 MUR, but out of the 4, I managed to make changes and help 2 of them, my patients were really grateful, and that is exactly what I want from MUR. I want to change their quality of life, I want to help them. I don’t want to make use of them to make money for the company.

Last Wednesday was such a mad day at work. I was only the 2^nd cover, the good thing is I didn’t have to work in the dispensary, facing customers. I was tucked in the little room downstairs checking care homes blister packs. I didn’t do much care homes during my training year, so it was a good experience, but a rather mad one too.

I’d prefer if all the homes weren’t going out the same day, and work load being spread out more over a few days. I reckon I checked over 500 items in blister packs. Towards the end of the day, I ended up sitting on the floor to check, because it was quicker, and I was too tired standing all day.

Did I mention, I didn’t manage to finish checking them on time to go home?? So I stayed back for half an hour for the love of my job. NO. I felt I was responsible for the medicines to go out on time to the care homes, just in case the patients need their medicines on that day. Hopefully coming Wednesday would be ok.

I have been so busy, I hardly have time to update my blog here. So what have I been up to??

Starting last Tuesday, I will be working 12 days straight without rest. Why?? Because I have got such long break during christmas 25th-28th Dec, so I thought I’d try to make it up for the loss later. Today is my 6th day of work, only half way through.. Thank god, tomorrow is an easy day, because I will be working 5 minutes away from home, Yea that means I can sleep in a little longer. (That is VERY important to me)

Eventhough I have been working and working.. I am glad I managed to take some time after work to meet up with a bunch of wonderful friends from uni who came over to Torquay to visit me, for a dinner together at an Italian Restaurant- Biancos. Then we went for bowling, then back to my place for the famous chinese card game Chor Dai Tee.. we all stayed up till about 4am, and guess what?? I still have to work the next day (Sunday!)..

Good thing stores open from 10am to 4pm only on sundays, so after work, I met up with my friends for dinner before they left for Bristol, PLymouth, Cornwall. And here I am, back home early, time to relax abit before I head to bed for work again! We had italian meal again, at Prezzo, which is way better than Biancos.. Check out my food blog for more food updates

The need for Emergency supplies due to the mucked up managed repeat prescriptions systems(F–S) are getting on my nerves. I have to put a full stop to giving emergency supplies. Yesterday I said No to someone who wanted some test strips, she came in telling me that the regular pharmacist knows her and would normally give them to her. OMG. Don’t even try it on me anymore. Its a NO NO NO from now onwards. She glared at me?! I asked her to get the doctor to fax a prescription or go pick it up from the surgery (the driver was on holiday), then I will do it, because it is a weekday, there is no reason why she can’t get a prescription. But she said she can’t. I dislike those looks they give you, like you OWE them something.

Today another customer shouted at me, that’s it. My patience has a limit too. She wanted her migraine tablets, but apparently it has been ordered but hasn’t come back to the pharmacy yet. She came in several times but it wasn’t there for her. So the dispenser gave the surgery a ring, and confirmed that the prescription was on its way to us (arriving next day), and was expecting me to supply it first. Right, I knew it when dispensers give me that look. I said No, of course, unless there is a faxed prescription(surgery not willing to fax). That lady, Shouted at me and said ‘ ARE YOU GIVING ME THE TABLETS OR NOT?’ I wont come back to B***S anymore. Wth. I still said no. I was going to consider, but needed to ask if she is running out today, and trying to find out why she can’t get to the surgery etc, but all she said was are you giving me the tablets?! Few minutes after she left, we received a faxed Prescription for her. See, it is possible if you be abit more responsible for your own meds.

Some customers are just rude. But I don’t blame them at all, because F–S system aka the ‘magic’ system ‘should’ automatically do everything for them and be sat there on the shelf waiting for them to come pick them. But when it is not, they get so mad. And the pharmacist has to bear the consequences if it is not ready for them. I think everyone should have some responsibility in their own medicines, instead of having everything done for them.

If you have read the Pharmaceutical Journal for September, you probably noticed this recent update. You must be thinking how hardworking I am, reading my PJ. Lol. The reason I am aware of this now is because, my tutor came across an FMed 296, then saw this article on PJ, and put it in front of my face and made me read it. ha-ha. Yet another CPD!

The MOD (Military of Defence) currently has a contract with LLyods pharmacy only. So if military prescriptions are presented to non-contracted community pharmacy, what we do??

The prescription is written on a specific beige colour form – FMed 296. It is treated as a private prescription. If the patient presents their prescription to Llyods pharmacy that is contracted with MOd, he doesn’t have to pay, an invoice will be sent to the MOD directly. However, if FMed 296 is presented to other community pharmacy that is not contracted with MOD, it will be treated as a private prescription as well, but patient has to pay upfront. Then they will have to claim it back from their military unit if there is prior agreement.

For NHS prescriptions (FP10 forms), they are required to pay the normal fee if not exempted, this cost can be reclaimed by the patient from the MOD.

For ‘real’ private prescriptions (normally on white forms), patient has to pay for it, and the requirements are the same as for FMed 296, invoices not accepted by MOD from non-contracted pharmacies.

Things to look out for when dealing with military prescriptions (LPC website)

1. Codeine, and other CD schedule 4, Drugs for Erectile dysfunction, these drugs has a tight control within the military dispensing unit.

2. Prescriptions with a BFPO stamp may be generated from outside the country, should be dispensed from where it came from. Check registration of doctor with GMC before dispensing. 

3.Check handwritten prescriptions at all times, because it is unusual to get handwritten prescriptions.