Boots v Screwfix

How many times have they given you the wrong item at screwfix? Did it do you any harm when you got the wrong item?

That is because screws are not normally to be taken internally and they have to be sure you are not going to die before you leave? Brian

One is picked by someone fractionally above minimum wage, where if something is wrong they will shrug and sort it out later.

The other picked and inspected by someone with a masters degree who is legally responsible for ensuring the correct prescription is dispensed.

One (screwfix) is getting money from the purchase, so good service. The other (NHS) its costing them money so poor service.

My experience has been roughly the reverse. The last time I went to Screwfix because they had the obscure diameter core drill I needed in stock at a good price I recalled why I never buy stuff from them.

Like sending the apprentice to stores for "a long weight".

I've found Screwfix to be slow if you order at the counter. Often a large number of people operating at the tills and one person in the warehouse trying to sort the orders for the dozen people who have just been served. Your money is taken quickly so you don't walk out because of the queues but then you are stuck waiting for the goods to be picked. There seems to be a demarcation of roles. If on the tills you don't pick from the warehouse during busy times.

I prefer the Toolsatan approach when ordering at the counter where the person who takes your order also picks the item and you pay after seeing it.

If I purchase from Screwfix these days I tend to order and pay on line and then wait for the text message to say my order has been picked before the 5 minute car journey to collect the items.

alan_m wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net:

There must be a way of using barcoding and and semi automating some of the process for 80% of the stuff.

everythings is barcoded these days. Screws, pills are just another cardboard box that the computer identifies.

The days when pharmacists actually made up preparations using their knowledge of chemistry and pharma are longgggg gone.

They seem to have an important role in second guessing the doc's prescriptions these days.

involves

And the second is also double checked by another qualified pharmacist.

There cannot be many pharmacies with two pharmacists.

So why can't a foolproof system be put in where cassettes of pill boxes - tamperproof and direct from manufacturer - can be loaded into a machine and issued in response to a machine readable prescription?

one reason is that manufacturers boxed quantities don't fit with what your doctor prescribes.

I watch the pharmacists at work, and they check that the quantities in each box are correct, because they sometimes take part-boxes to satisfy a prescription.

And another is that there have to be cross checks - not just for prescription only medicatioon, but for anything else the patient may be taking.

I was in a pharmacy today and they wouldn't dispense a drug as it was twice the normal dose for a child. They were going to phone the doctor to check first.

When did screwfix ever ring a builder if the nails were twice as long as needed?

Good point, there is only one phramacist in the chemist down in town, or the phramacy in the cottage hospital. However I'm pretty sure any prescription is double checked if only for drug, drug formulation, dose, quantity etc by A.N.Other before it's released.