PHARMACY DIRECT NOT SENDING URGENT URGENT MEDS

To Whom It May Concern,

I changed from Fedhealth to Bonitas on 1 January 2022. My details were carried over and my chronic conditions and medications were approved almost immediately.

I sent a new script to Pharmacy Direct on Tues, 11th Jan to be processed into the system AND for the medicine to be sent out to me. I did it a few days early to avoid missing any days of medication.

I received notification (from Bonitas) that the meds had been processed, and later on, the claims had been done and payment would be made.

On Fri 15th Jan I had still not received my medication from Pharmacy Direct, nor heard anything from you on the matter. So I called. The lady (you should have the reference number she gave me) said that she would push a rush on it as I had run out of 1 thing and was soon going to run out of the remaining meds. She advised it would get to me by Tuesday, 28th Jan. It never did.

On Wed, 19th Jan I called. Again they said a rush was on it and I would receive it. Nothing.

Same thing Thursday. I called. They said a rush would be put on it - or WAS already noted in their system. Still by FRIDAY 22nd Jan I had received NOTHING.

I on Friday at about 15h30 to ask and the lady said to me that it has not even been collected by the courier yet!!! I was furious as Ive been waiting (and calling) for over a week now. She said she would get a manager to call me right back. About 40 minutes later I had heard nothing so I called AGAIN. This time I just asked to be put through to a manager. I was and there was an immediate message to say the line wasn’t answering and to leave a message – and then it went dead. So I couldnt leave a message even if I wanted to.

So I called YET AGAIN (after 4pm). This time again the person said she'd put me through to a manager – I said NO DO NOT because that does not work. She said - oh the managers have gone home. Later I asked WHY then put me through to one???? Then she said oh, "if you listened to me" only some have gone home (SO RUDE!). She said she could do nothing for me except get a manager to call me back; she did not have the authority to do anything for me.

Of course I NEVER received ANY call from any manager. Apparently PHARMACY DIRECT do not deliver on the weekends so my medication (at the earliest) will be NEXTWEEK! This is absolutely unacceptable!

About half an hour after the last 'communication', I received an sms saying my meds would be with me within 24-48 hours. Although this was now AFTER 5PM on a Friday and I had already been told that there are no weekend deliveries - SO WHY SEND THAT MESSAGE. You CANNOT wait until after 5PM on a FRIDAY to send an sms on delivery 24-48 hours, knowing FULL WELL that NO DELIVERIES will be done in that timeframe.

I waited all weekend to see if I WOULD indeed get my meds as the sms said. But NO.

I have wanted to change medical aids for years. I have finally changed from Fedhealth to Bonitas but Nonitas makes you use Pharmacy Direct. So this is my first time using you and I must say, the service is shocking. Not just the lack of receiving my meds on time, but the useless answers from so many different people saying they "CANNOT ADVISE ON WHEN THE MEDS WILL GET HERE". Why???? Is there not a system in place? THERE MUST BE. And this is NOT a Bonitas fault - it is yours.

Oh, and by the way - your 'tracking system' for meds on whatsapp DOES NOT WORK. On Thurs, 20th Jan I tried it - this was their reply: " Good day, please note claim has been processed. We will send out an SMS when the medication is out for delivery. We can not at this moment confirm date of delivery. "

WHY IS THAT WHATSAPP "HELP" THERE IF THIS IS THE KIND OF REPLY ONE WOULD GET???? IT MEANS NOTHING. I already knew the claim had been processed from the (several) messaged from Bonitas.

I am B-I-P-O-L-A-R and I need my medication. I am on several medications and I told the 1st lady I spoke to (on Fri, 14th Jan) that I had already run out of 1 of them. I have now run out of EVERYTHING and I must wait DAYS more?? What has PHARMACY DIRECT been doing? Why is my medication just SITTING THERE? Why must I wait TWO WEEKS to get my medication? (*maybe-at best*).

I SPECIFICALLY ordered a few days early to avoid a gap and missing any medication. And I have called SEVERAL TIMES, spoken with SEVERAL people and each has said "its coming and we CANT say when that will be". Tues, Wed, Thurs, then Fri - then NOTHING. Now the weekend. WHAT NEXT! And there is NOTHING I CAN DO except sit here and wait for you guys to do your job! Over a week ago Friday (14th Jan) the lady said she’d put a RUSH on it. And everytime I call, there is a new person. And a new date, and another no-show. The (SEVERAL) people I spoke with yesterday were the worst and clearly just wanted to go home. I was just IGNORED.

This is my first time using PHARMACY DIRECT and I must say I am INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTED AND VERY IRRITATED! I missed work on Friday due to the side effects of not taking my meds for a couple of days, and I have slept the entire weekend. Tomorrow I will not be able to work.

Do you have any idea of the side effects of going 'off' and 'on' antidepressants and mood stabilizers? Do you realise what you have done to my health by this MASSIVE delay?

I expect an email first thing tomorrow morning (Monday, 24th January) and my meds to be delivered WITHIN tomorrow MORNING.