Pathetic service chronic department- client health at risk

Att: senior Manager at Chronic department !

I would like to take this opportunity.

Point out how pathetic and unprofessional services I received this week from the chronic department. let me give you the following information , recently Discovery changed over from Medi Express . Which no longer exists. End of January I went to Dischem to collect my monthly chronic medication as per normal with no problem at all .

This I’ve been doing for several years . And never has there been there a levy or , on collecting this medication . Nothing is changed on my scripts , which every six months is just a standard procedure to have the renewed.

That being said I went in the beginning of March to collect the collect February medication at Dischem in Cresta. I was told that I need to pay R321 as a levy . I could not understand why ? I was charged a Levy , the pharmacist told me that it’s now part of my Meds.

At th time I was highly irritated, as my year benefit began on 01 Jan2024 . As I mentioned that in January 2024 Medi express still processed my Medication and there was No levy . Which was correct .

Its ONLY being since they ended their serves with Medi Express and handed over the duties over to Dischem , My regular collection point . Which is Dischem Cresta .

Because I was pressed for time , paid the fee and left . However when I return last at end of last month . Again I was told about the R321. OO. I refuse to take the 2 items which is Psyqust 25 mg & Serqoquel XR 50 mg and asked them to reverse it for now . As I was going approach Discovery Chronic dept. And get to the bottom of this , for you once and all . I reached out to last week Tuesday 02 March 2024 at 8.15 am. I dealt with an agent Owen , who was very friendly and quickly to understood . What the situation were .

After explaining to Owen that this the problem , and that I was forced in February to pay the a levy .

Owen confirmed definitely I should NOT be paying at all . As per normal I had FUll cover, on ALL my monthly Meds .

I then arrived at Dischem to collect the 2 item . Seeing that I can prove that I approach Discovery that morning . Seeing that I’m out of this Chronic medication by now . Which was brought to Discovery attention . Yet again I was told Of the Levy . The pharmacist Manager Riaan called the Chonic department .And was on the call for about 20 min .

At the end he explained to me . that apparently a call needs to be logged to a Case Manager. Which I could not understand , because what is the case manager going to be doing with this. I’ve never had to deal with a case manager , and that I would have to return on Friday , Saying that the agent told him that call was logged and Friday would they have resolved it .4 full working days ) keep in mind I have no meds by now .)

Riaan approached Discovery on Friday morning , then he was told no that it still has not been resolved. And that he should wait for another four hours . And that Discovery will call him . I received a call on Saturday morning from Riaan at cresta Dischem . He explained the matter and feedback of Friday . I was absolutely dumbstruck that such of such pathetic service , and the risk of putting a patient health in jeopardy.

I’m out of medication now , and no case manager which has resolved it . As as I mentioned for four days nobody could actually look at my Levy issue . And knowing that it’s a chronic situation.

The most important thing is that I do not have any medication at the moment , but yet through the red tape nobody has actually attend to my case as mentioned on Tuesday morning . At which time the call Agent confirmed clearly there is No levy t to be paid . and there was an error in a month before when you were charged for it . All you need to do , is go back to Dischem and collect your medication . I would request the Discovery gets the act together on this coming Monday 8 th and resolve this immediately .and actually call Riaan or Wendy ! At Cresta Dischem and resolve this issue. As I’m NOT going keep running around and deal with incompetence people at the chronic department.

If the case is not resolved. The next step would be . I will be sending a letter to the CEO Mr Adrian Core office , to bring this to his attention.

And believe me that this will happen by C. O . B in n Monday . Hopefully then the chronic Department can explain the situation to Mr Core himself.

I cannot believe how pathetic and unprofessional the service is regarding medication .

From a department like chonic at Discovery , which in the past when medi express was used .

There was NO problem. It”s only now once they’ to no longer useing Medi Express . That these issues are arising with clients. And even after 4 days a so called case manager has not looked at it . why that should be the case. There’s no need in the first place . As it a clear cut situation.

If Owen could already on Tuesday confirm that there’s No levy .

Why should a case manager get involved . ( it’s a total waist of time ) Yet at the end of the day the patient ( client ) is inconvenience .

And especially which chronic Meds one , is supposed to take on time every day . So far it’s been 6 day . Monday will be my 7 th day . Well done y chronic department .

Therefore it seems that only intervene is the CEO office intervene for an explanation . To why a client health is put at risk .

.