Patient was three

Here’s an example of why pharmacists provide a rather valuable service to the public!

Had a script in today for trimethoprim 200mg BD for 3/7’ to a patient with no date of birth on the script. The patient turned out to be a 3 year old and on checking the dose of trimethoprim it was the maximum daily dose for this age and I could have dispensed a syrup since no form was indicated on the script.

But it did immediately go through my mind that the doctor had just signed this script (the patient had picked it up from reception) without realising it was for a child. It was, of course, from the dispensing practice that we don’t have a great relationship with but this one had to be checked out.

Well it turned out that my gut feeling was right and so I modified the dose for the patient and got a new script issued from the surgery.