Medi- Rite Pharmacy - Moreleta Park, Pretoria

I have been collecting my chronic medicine from Medirite Moreleta Park for years. Though not the pharmacy of choice, my medical aid recommended them due to lower dispensing fees. I used to collect my medicine from a pharmacy much closer to where I live and just around the corner from my doctor. Some of Medirite Moreleta Park's pharmacists are very rude and unpleasant, one in particular I try to avoid every time I go to collect my medicine. I have two degrees, I do not deserve to be treated like an idiot. In February I was prescribed malaria tablets. None of the pharmacists at Medirite Moreleta Park were able to read what my doctor wrote on the prescription. They phoned my doctor's practice and the receptionist said that the doctor was busy with a patient. The pharmacy told me to come back at another time. As mentioned above, Medirite Moreleta Park is not the closest pharmacy to where I live. I phoned my uncle who is a doctor too, he had no problem in reading what my doctor wrote. My doctor eventually phoned the pharmacy and confirmed the name of the medication to be dispensed. I left in tears due to frustration. On 4 May 2022, for some reason, Medirite Moreleta Park increased my schedule 5 medication, Dopaquel, to 90 tablets per month instead of 30 as per doctor's script without discussing this with me or my doctor. Sometimes the pharmacy dispenses medicine in the original container, sometimes in their own containers. I did not realise the increase in Dopaquel except that they started to use the original containers, not knowing that each container contained 90 tablets instead of 30. I also noticed that Medirite Moreleta Park was claiming from my medical aid three times the amount they usually did, at first thought it was a price increase or something. Bottomline: at this moment I am in possession of around 250 Schedule 5 Dopaquel tablets incorrectly dispensed by Medirite Moreleta Park - at least 8 months' worth of medication. "S5 medicines have a potential for abuse or dependence, and therefore needs medical diagnosis and strict management of a patient" - www.iol.co.za. Even after I informed one of Medirite Moreleta Park's temporary pharmacists on 17 September 2022 that they were incorrectly dispensing 90 tablets in stead of 30 tablets and requested for them not to dispense Dopaquel at that date, they amended quantity on their system to 30 but proceeded to dispense 30 tablets and claimed through my medical aid. On 20 August 2022 Medirite Moreleta Park had no stock of one of my other chronic medicine, Epitec. They asked me if I wanted the generic Dyna-Lamotrigine. I asked them if it had exactly the same effect as the Epitec as I do not want to take chances with my chronic medicine, they confirmed yes, so I agreed to take it. I started taking these tablets on 3 September 2022 and it made me extremely sick so I threw it away, I now was 1 month short in my chronic medicine Epitec. On 17 September 2022 I went to collect my repeat medication and was again issued the generic but it was not discussed with me, I only noticed it when I got home. So again, I threw this medicine away, now 2 months short in chronic medicine Epitec. In September 2022 my veterinarian prescribed asthma medication for my cat. I took the script to Medirite Moreleta Park. They did not have stock but I was informed by another temporary pharmacist that they would order the medication and would let me know when they received it. I was never contacted. Stock was never ordered when I later enquired about it. Also, this pharmacist, for some reason, gave me back my 6-month repeat script instead of loading the medicine on their system. Nevertheless, I managed to get the asthma medicine from other, more reliable and customer friendly pharmacies. In October, November and December I instructed Medirite Moreleta Park not to dispense and claim through my medical aid the Dopaquel as I had months' worth of stock. I did not really get the impression that they grasped the seriousness of this. On 7 December 2022 I went to Medirite Moreleta Park with a new repeat script for all my chronic medicine as well as a separate script for my cat's asthma medicine. The pharmacist noticed that the dose of Epitec was reduced from 200 to 100 and drew my attention to it. I told her that it was a mistake and that it must be exactly the same as the previous month. The pharmacist just said it cannot be changed. I insisted that the dosage was wrong. Then there was another issue with my cat's prescription. The medication the doctor prescribed was a different brand and as soon as I saw it I noticed the dosage and also told the pharmacist that I wanted Flixotide. I told the pharmacist that I needed 50ug instead of 100ug. Pharmacist looked at me as if I was stupid and said "it's 200 sprays". I never said anything about "sprays". Cannot believe that a patient has to tell a pharmacist that the dosage is too high! Anyway, pharmacist refused to give me the Flixotide inhaler. I was told that the doctor did not specify the dosage of the inhaler. Now I cannot understand why a pharmacist must first confirm with a doctor why the dosage of Epitec was reduced but the pharmacist then uses own discretion to decide dosage of asthma inhaler. In the end pharmacist once again contacted my doctor who confirmed everything I said. However, pharmacist refused to give me the inhaler as "a new script" was required, but in the meantime, the pharmacist changed to quantity of Epitec from 100 to 200. I do not understand why, after my doctor confirmed the brand and dosage of asthma inhaler, pharmacist could not write this on the script as well. So I left without the inhaler. 14 December 2022 - THE FINAL STRAW! I contacted my doctor to ask for the script for my cat's Flixotide 50ug inhaler as requested by Medirite Moreleta Park the previous week. I collected the script from doctor's reception and went directly to Medirite Moreleta Park. I told the pharmacist that it is a repeat prescription, they told me the doctor did not write repeats. So I told the pharmacist to phone my doctor, once again, to confirm repeats. As if doctors have nothing better to do than to keep issuing amended scripts. I was then told that they would not phone the doctor, I had to go back and get a new script! I was also told that "it's not our fault" insinuating that it's the doctor's fault and that he had to sort it out himself, and was also told "I did you a favour" when they contacted the doctor the previous week to confirm issues in respect of Epitec and asthma inhaler. I phoned my doctor's practice and told them what the pharmacist has told me, they could not believe their ears. They then asked for the pharmacy's telephone number for them to contact the pharmacy themselves. One again, doctor confirmed what I have told the pharmacist. I was then very sarcastically given back my script and told that in future I could get my medicine from another pharmacy. I told them that I would be reporting them and asked for the pharmacist's name. Pharmacist was very quick to respond not being a permanent pharmacist of Medirite Moreleta Park. I drove back home, then realised I forgot my script which I submitted the previous week with all my chronic medicine, drove back and requested for original script. I will never make use of Medirite Moreleta Park's services again and will rather pay higher dispensing fees and be treated with respect. My script has already been loaded by another pharmacy on the same day. They're professional, they know what they're doing and they're friendly. The also deliver directly to their patients' residences. While I was standing in the pharmacy waiting for my script to be loaded, I received an sms from Medirite Moreleta Park advising me that my prescription medication was due, even though I collected it the previous week. UNBELIEVABLE!