Fury over pharmacy plans

1:28pm Wednesday 20th August 2008

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A RECOMMENDATION for the permanent withdrawal of the Sunday and Bank Holiday out-of-hours pharmacy rota in Chepstow and Monmouth has caused outraged in the two towns.

The recommendation was made to the Monmouthshire Area Community Health Council Committee yesterday in a report responding to public feedback following the pilot withdrawal of the service between April and June this year.

The trial closure of the out-of-hours pharmacy and the subsequent recommendation for permanent closure has caused anger in Monmouth and Chepstow, who will now have to travel to Abergavenny and Caldicot for this service.

The report, by Public Involvement Officer for the council, David Kenny, made four main points in its case for change:

* The local health board had to pay £160 to open these pharmacies for an hour on Sundays and normal Bank Holidays. On Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve and Easter the cost went up to £318.

But the number of prescriptions dispensed was minimal. In Monmouth the average number of prescriptions dispensed on a Sunday was 2.8 and on Bank Holidays 2.2. In Chepstow, the Sunday average was 2.5 and on Bank Holidays it was 0.5.

*An out-of-hours GP will carry medication and can offer a supply to patients who urgently need medication until they can get to a pharmacy at a later date.

* Patients who need professional advice from a pharmacist, e.g. about the side effects of medication, can receive telephone advice from the nearest pharmacist, the out-of-hours service or from the NHS Direct Helpline.

* A wide-range of over-the-counter medicine is available at retail outlets open on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

But Boots in Monmouth has recently agreed to extend opening hours to Sundays and most Bank Holidays with a pharmacist on duty, as part of a company-wide policy.

Though Monmouth residents have been warned this will be subject to change and is not intended to replace the previous out-of-hours pharmacy.

The recommendation stated: "Monmouthshire Area Committee accept the permanent withdrawal of the Sunday and Bank Holiday rota in Monmouth and Chepstow.

That acceptance is not dependent on the sustainability of the planned arrangement to open the Boots store in Monmouth on Sundays and most Bank Holidays. It is, however on condition that:

* There is an awareness-raising campaign on the alternative services available on Sundays and Bank Holidays and the need for people to help themselves in ensuring they are not without the medication they need.

* There is public transparency in the re-use of these funds within the pharmacy service and that genuine efforts are made to develop enhanced pharmacy services within Monmouth and Chepstow as a priority."

The committee will decide whether to follow the recommendations at its next meeting.