Churchill Alphega Pharmacy

Friendly staff and help me with my medicines. On peak hours you may need to wait a little bit. Staff can help you in English too.

A bit slow but otherwise friendly and helpful

I am on medication that I have to take every day and that I depend on. For almost 23 years (with a short break due to relocation) I have been getting my medication from the Churchill pharmacy. Similarly today. To my surprise, I was presented with a completely different packaging and brand of medication. I indicated that I have had this once before, and I did not respond well to it and felt very pleased with it. This indicated, then changed again and I got my old trusted medicine again and this would not happen again. Today this pharmacy tried again. I thanked and explained that I just wanted my old trusted medication and asked where this suddenly came from after all these years. The employee was very vague about the reason for this change. Couldn't answer me. All she indicated was that I could get an appointment with the pharmacist tomorrow so that he could tell me the same vague story or no answer. The lady asked if I had to go to my doctor or health insurer to have this changed. Here too I only got the answer that I could get an appointment with the pharmacist. Madam had no answer to any question. Then I asked if the young man sitting in the office giving this lady instructions to dismiss me, could answer my questions. According to the lady he also did not have time to explain me. When he saw that his colleague was not suitable to deal with this kind of situation and I did not just agree with the answer that I should just make an appointment with the pharmacist, while I was asking a very simple question, he came on the scene . This gentleman thought he could also fob me off with a vague story. He said it was my health insurance policy that changed this to reduce costs. Again explained that I react badly to change of medication, he was not interested in this either. He dared to tell me that I should try this drug first and if it didn't go well then maybe I could get my old medication again. This pharmacy first wants to use me as a guinea pig before I can get my old trusted medication, which I have been using for years without any problems. He also said that if it is a "medical necessity" and the doctor also indicates this via a prescription, that this can be changed again if I take this medicine first and see what will happen to me. It is a bad thing that this pharmacy wants to test medication on people and if it goes wrong, it can eventually be reversed. I told this young man that the medication I am taking is not just any paracetamol. After this story I immediately contacted my health insurance company and my doctor. That same afternoon, the GP wrote out a prescription and clearly stated that it is "medical necessity" that I just get my own medication. In addition, my health insurance has sorted all this out for me and indicates that what this young man told me turns out to be untrue and they simply reimburse my medication that I always had. Despite this observation and the urgent request of my doctor, they refuse to give me the medication that I need every day. Outrageous and crazy that this pharmacy wants their customers (people of flesh and blood) to try medicines first until things go wrong, so as to make their own commission? to rake in. This issue took me 1 day to arrange and clarify things and again, despite a request from my GP and after telephone contact with health insurer (who indicate that this pharmacy is making up this story), I was not given any medication. I have never experienced this before and have also filed a complaint with the complaints officer and if necessary, I will go to the disputes committee.

Good and cooperative people and a good one. Service.

Good friendly service