Even after all this time you can still send me a fax

[venta]

Aww. When large institutions try to engage with the modern world, it's quite cute.

This morning I rang the doctors' surgery. "Hello," I said, "I want to order a repeat prescription, which I think you now prefer me to do over email. How do I register for this service?"

The receptionist who'd answered ummed and erred for a bit. Then she ahhed. Then she asked me to wait a moment. Then she came back on the line and ummed a bit more, and asked me to hold again.

Eventually she came back on the line and asked: "Do you have a fax number?"

I said no, I didn't. She erred some more. Eventually, she took my phone number so she could call me back to explain the prodecure to me.

She just phoned back. I was braced for a fairly intricate registration process. It turns out that what I have to do is send them an email them stating which prescription I require.

She's now given me the "email number" and I'm all good to go.

Comments

[snow-leopard.livejournal.com]

I am quite surprised with that.
I would expect them to register an email address on your account so they could verify that requests are coming from you rather than anyone emailing them and saying "Hi I'm Venta please can I have my X, Y and Z"!

[venta.livejournal.com]

Well, yes! I was a bit surprised. I presume that they'll check they've got a Venta on their records, and when I go to get the prescription from the pharmacy they'll probably do their usual numpty check of "what's your name and address" (which would be a perfectly reasonable check if they didn't usually hold the name/address label where I can see it while asking!)

Either that or the receptionist I spoke to didn't understand the system, and I'm about to get an email response telling me that I'm not registered! I'd probably give odds of 2:1 of that happening...

[venta.livejournal.com]

Actually, on second thoughts - I used to request prescription repeats by dropping a handwritten note signed by me through their letterbox out of hours. Since I don't think they've ever asked for a specimen signature from me, this email method isn't significantly worse!

[snow-leopard.livejournal.com]

Lets just hope you don't get any exciting drugs that someone may want to steal!
As there are clearly flaws in the system!

[venta.livejournal.com]

Well, if you hear of a surplus of prescription-only antihistamines on the streets, let me know!