Chairmans Blog: Look before you Leap.

An elderly lady attended our pharmacy this morning with a prescription for Ibuprofen gel 5%.
 
She had contacted the GP complaining of a rash that she attributed to a tube of Piroxicam Gel that she had been prescribed on a previous occasion for muscle pain. The GP had prescribed the Ibuprofen without a consultation - as a replacement...
 
She asked if I would take a look at her rash, which I did in our consultation room along with a member of staff as chaperone. The rash appeared to be like a belt of blistery skin around her back and side - and looked like shingles to me!
 
A quick phone call to the practice resulted in an urgent appointment for the afternoon...hopefully to get appropriate therapy!
 
It just goes to show the importance of checking; and not taking the word of a patient completely...

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