Call for health bosses to halt changes
Monday 9th March 2009, 12:01PM GMT.
Health bosses were today urged to suspend new pharmacy rules which councillors fear will cause problems for elderly patients near Oswestry.
The plea has been made by Oswestry Borough Council leader David Lloyd.
Councillor Lloyd said the proposed changes have sparked a “tidal wave of protest”.
The new pharmacy rules mean GP surgeries in Oswestry will not be allowed to dispense prescriptions to Gobowen patients after March 31.
Oswestry GPs who treat Gobowen patients currently write them prescriptions and their dispensers supply the patients with their medication.
It has been possible because Gobowen is classified as a semi-rural area and does not have its own GP surgery or pharmacy.
But Shropshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) has decided from April 1, Gobowen will be classified as an urban area and patients will have to go to a chemist to get their medication.
The move has come about because a pharmacy company has indicated it wishes to open in Gobowen.
Oswestry borough councillors have attacked the proposal and the authority’s leader, Councillor Lloyd, who is also a Gobowen parish councillor, has written to the PCT urging bosses to delay the changes.
In a letter to Helen Whitehouse, the trust’s operations director, he said: “A pause would also allow time to clarify what is a confused picture regarding arrangements regarding delivery of repeat and other prescriptions.”
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
