They lied to us.
August 2nd, 2013 by Dr WheelerMost of you will already have heard the shocking news this week that the pharmacy application in Benbecula has also targeted North Uist – contrary to promises made in the previous weeks.
Just days before the local community council meeting the pharmacy applicant had gone on the record saying that North Uist was not part of their plans. They used this as their excuse for not coming to the meeting itself as the proposed new venture would apparently not affect us at all.
This was reported on BBC Alba and BBC Reporting Scotland as well as local newspapers… and understandably led to some sighs of relief on our Island.
I have now seen the actual application and can barely believe how it is presented. They have asked for the islands of North Uist and Benbecula as their catchment area – somehow missing the point that Grimsay,Baleshare and Berneray are separate islands! They have then attached a map of this proposed catchment area… missing out a chunk of Berneray – but including a large part of South Uist!
In their application they are meant to outline what services are currently available in the area they are looking at…. so they proceed to list the opening times of Griminish surgery and details of the service that they run there without a single word about North Uist Medical practice. It isn’t entirely clear that they understand that we are different entities.
The overall feel is of an application set out for taking over Benbecula…. with the words ‘North Uist’ tacked on at the end as an ill thought out last minute change.
Just to be clear (and contrary I understand to statements they have made locally elsewhere) no representative from the proposed pharmacy has ever contacted North Uist Medical Practice in any way up till this point to discuss their plans.
I was asked to present a viewpoint in The Scotsman newspaper (online here), and I know lots of you are following the facebook page put up by Dr Dawson in Benbecula.
Now is the time to write directly to the health board.
You need to write to
Christine McKee
Primary Care Manager
NHS Western Isles
Health Centre
Springfield Road
Stornoway
Isle of Lewis HS1 2PS
Telephone: 01851 763321
You can write your own letter, or just print out the standard letter that I have made and sign it… or download my standard letter and adapt it to your own experience.
Unfortunately the regulations don’t really take account of how pharmacy openings can make your GP surgery lose staff / reduce appointments / limit services available so there isn’t much point talking about this too much.
Things that would be helpful though relate to convenience…. if a doctor visits you at home or at a branch surgery in Berneray / Carinish or Bayhead in the future you will then need to find some way to get a prescription from Balivanich… how big a journey would this be for you? How easy would it be with public transport?
If you see the doctor in Lochmaddy you will have to then go to Balivanich to get your prescription – 18 miles there and then whatever distance back to your house.
To make an impact you also need to include a bit about your access to pharmaceutical services – that is why I have included this in my standard letter. Basically – you are able to currently get contraceptive advice, smoking cessation help, cardiovascular risk factor checks and reviews of your medication in the surgery… these are the kinds of things the pharmacy is trying to sell as an improvement to your current service. It would be helpful if you point out that it would be much more convenient for you to access these services in Lochmaddy and its branch clinics rather than in Balivanich.
Thanks for all the support so far and please get writing.
