Gibson backs campaign against Castletown pharmacy

[2little2late]

Why all the fuss? Is it not good for the village that a pharmacy will be opening? I do not understand the furore. How will it cause the closure of a GP surgery? You lot are so far behind with the times. I don't know if you all realise but Great Britain is now in the 21st. century.

[DMFB]

The furore is easy to understand.This is all down to financial loss not whats best for Castletown.The GPs stand to lose a fair chunk of cash if this pharmacy opens do they not. All this hype about it making it harder to recruit is just that hype.The patients having to go to Wick or Thurso hype it cant and wont happen. Remember the Gps themselves said its hard to recruit so WICK AND tHURSO WONT BE ABLE to get enough doctors to take on all these patients. Its already hard to recruit GPS to this area its been in the papers on many an occassion now.I dont know about anyone else but in all my years I realise this one thing when money comes in to the equation you see a lot of peoples true colours.THINK ON IT THIS WAY. tHE gpS HAVE IT THEIR WAY the pharmacy is refused.neither of them are spring chicks in my view so you are looking at them retiring in a few years. Then what? No pharmacy No GPs no service in the village to buy a bottle of medicine for a general cough cold. This service can run along side the medical practice the public should open their eyes to this one fact that no one seems to be noticing not even all the councillors this is all financially motivated the benefits for the refusal of this pharmacy being refused are for who Joe public or the GPs.

[donnick]

2little2late I take it that you read absolutely nothing on this subject before writing this post .

[DMFB]

Im sure 2little2late has read whats in the papers on this subject havent we all.The point is that is the information correct will the surgery close will the patients go to Wick and Thirso I think not or will the surgery continue with less cash for the GPs because they no longer have a dispensary. Who lets face it will be the biggest losers if a pharmacy opens in the village. A pharmacy can work alongside the GPs after all they have pharmacies in Thurso and Wick the Gps in those surgerys dont have the extra cash generated from a dispensary in the surgery.The villagers will be able to access a lot more than just tablets the pharmacist and staff can be recruited from the staff in the gp practice and then once the GPs retire which will be sooner rather than later Castletown at least will still have a pharmacy even if as the Gps themselves have stated no replcement gp can be found and the practice does eventulaly close.Im sure there is much more to this than meets the eye and I for one think that as usual its all down to money not whats best for the people of the area. This is my hummble oppinion and ive been around for enough years to recognise scaremongering when I see it even if others dont.

[linnie612]

Is there a dispensing pharmacist attached to the surgery?

[cptdodger]

Is there a dispensing pharmacist attached to the surgery?

There is a dispensary in the surgery, but when I phoned to speak to the pharmacist (I did'nt want to bother the doctor) I was told they did'nt have one, so ended up seeing the doctor anyway.

[linnie612]

Thanks cptdodger, that's what I thought.

[cptdodger]

Thanks cptdodger, that's what I thought.

No problem, I thought it a bit strange myself, as when I worked in a Pharmacy years ago, you could not hand out prescriptions without a Pharmacist being present. I would imagine a doctor would supersede a Pharmacist though.

[sids]

In this country, you are usually allowed to open a shop.

[ducati]

This issue affects the people of Castletown and Canisbay and surroundings who rely on the surgery. It's close to unanimous that no-one wants it. I don't think we are interested in what anyone else thinks.:roll:

I hope we can be equally unanimous in boycotting it if it does open. That means no nipping in for nappies etc.

[cptdodger]

This was on the BBC News Website regarding the Pharmacy after the public meeting "NHS Highland said the service would be unaffected." The other surgeries in Thurso and presumably Wick survive without a dispensary, why would Castletown be any different ?

[sids]

This issue affects the people of Castletown and Canisbay and surroundings who rely on the surgery. It's close to unanimous that no-one wants it. I don't think we are interested in what anyone else thinks.:roll:

I hope we can be equally unanimous in boycotting it if it does open. That means no nipping in for nappies etc.

If there's insufficient trade, the shop will close.

Gangs of scowling pensioners (that's what the hall meeting looked like in the paper) shouldn't have the power to stop a business opening.

[Big Gaz]

An elderly couple i know who live in JOG have been told that if the doctors lose the dispensary in Castletown then they will have to consider closing the surgery in Canisbay, thus leaving them a 15 mile journey to see a doctor/get prescriptions so is somebody somewhere scaremongering to get support

[mi16]

I am sure there ae many folk who have to travel in excess of a 15 mile / 30 minute journey to see their GP.

[cptdodger]

I was told on the other thread regarding the meeting that the reason Castletown and Canisbay and Halkirk surgeries have dispensaries is, they are five miles away from the nearest Pharmacy. While having a Pharmacy will affect the dispensary in the Castletown Surgery, as Canisbay is approx 12 miles from Castletown and about 16 miles from Wick, why would it affect the Canisbay surgery, at all ?

[badger]

It's obvious many people on here don't understand what is going on - you might find some answers on this website http://www.saveoursurgery.co.uk/documents/

[Alrock]

Personally what upsets me the most about all of this is the loss of a mighty fine chip shop.

[ducati]

If there's insufficient trade, the shop will close.

Gangs of scowling pensioners (that's what the hall meeting looked like in the paper) shouldn't have the power to stop a business opening.

If the scowling pensioners are the potential customers you would think the shop wouldn't want to open. Personally, I hope if they do go against the wishes of the townfolk, it costs them a lot of money to realise they were wrong. (then maybe they will think twice elsewhere).

[gollach]

Has anybody else ever taken their prescription into a pharmacy and the pharmacist has had to contact the GP surgery due to an issue with the new medication? It's happened to me several times. Different GP surgeries have prescribed things that can't be taken with my long term medication.

Who provides this double check for the patients of Casltetown & Canisbay surgeries? At present, they will only get their prescription checked by a qualified pharmacist if they travel to Wick or Thurso.

[sids]

If the scowling pensioners are the potential customers you would think the shop wouldn't want to open. Personally, I hope if they do go against the wishes of the townfolk, it costs them a lot of money to realise they were wrong. (then maybe they will think twice elsewhere).

There may be potential customers who are not part of the campaign.

[DMFB]

It's obvious many people on here don't understand what is going on - you might find some answers on this website http://www.saveoursurgery.co.uk/documents/

I didnt see any answers on this.I have said it before and I will say it again.The main losers in this are the GPS and its financialy.Nhs Highland themselves have said that the surgery wont be affected.There will still be a surgery there will still be doctors whether its the current ones or locums should they leave or retire but the village may get the bonus of a pharmacy with a pharmacist who can work alongside the gps.This person can give over the counter advice and remedies and as has been stated provide an extra check to make sure the prescriptions are ok. The gps will lose money but the community will gain another service.I may be old and getting on in years but if you take away the scaremongering and hype its a no brainer as my grandkids would say. The surgeries in Wick and Thurso operate alongside quite a few pharmacies they dont have the extra cash coming in from having a dispensary are we hearing them complaining and campaigning and scaremongering against pharmacies so that they can have it all to themselves?

[David Banks]

It's simple.

Somebody sees a good opportunity to "make a buck."

We have a large pharmacy chain over here who added groceries and all sorts of stuff and used their pharmacy as a means to open on Sundays and after regular hours (when such laws were still in place).

[changilass]

Having read the site and listened to the interviews, it would appear that the workload is such that it is not sustainable to have the Doctors checking every prescription.

It also seems that if it isn't this crew then it will be someone else in the future.

It would seem the best option (if they have the money and the interest) would be for the doctors themselves, to open a pharmacy. Whilst they wouldn't get the same funding from NHS for having the pharmacy they have now, if this crew think they can make so much money out of it, surely it would be better if the docs themselves owned it.

[DMFB]

Having read the site and listened to the interviews, it would appear that the workload is such that it is not sustainable to have the Doctors checking every prescription.

It also seems that if it isn't this crew then it will be someone else in the future.

It would seem the best option (if they have the money and the interest) would be for the doctors themselves, to open a pharmacy. Whilst they wouldn't get the same funding from NHS for having the pharmacy they have now, if this crew think they can make so much money out of it, surely it would be better if the docs themselves owned it.

But why go down this route when you already have the easiest option up and running. Just hype up the public who DO NOT have the full facts and scare away the opposition. If only the small shops in towns had this same backing when tesco wanted to open the doors and everyone was shouting shops will close jobs will be lost!!Its a case of dont throw the baby out with the bathwater. In years to come when these current doctors retire with their nice profits from the money they have earned whose the loser. Yes the dispensary gives them extra funding but so does a lot of other services they could provide early opening etc.all this money goes into one big pot they pay the staff etc etc then after all their expenses who gets the profits ? This is all down to money and you will not sway me away from this and the public and councillors etc are being used as pawns.I am not saying this is a perfect set up and yes it may need to be looked at but always keep in mind who is benefiting the most.A pharmacy which stocks a few extras for when you run out or need a wee bottle of cough mixture without a visit to the surgery isnt such a bad proposition for the public now is it.Its an extra service in a village which needs all it can to keep the population living there.

[may67]

I would like to know why folk think the Gp'S are 'lining their pockets with money'.. ? Any patients at the Canisbay and Castletown surgery know the service and care they get AND the fact that the gp's are not driving Porsches, or wearing Chanel suits. !!! longggg hours are worked by both doctors. The profit is fed back into the service, health board do not fund the surgery. It is not like Riverbank which is currently run by the nhs! Princess street branch at Halkirk has a dispensary. What is so wrong with protecting rural services? The services will be affected with the closing of the dispensarys , yes gp's surgery will exists in some form, with or with out the present doctors. The lot on here who are so free to have a pop at folk who are trying to save the service , will be the ones moaning on here when they can't see a gp within 10 days, or see the same doctor at subsequent visits. Oh and before u start, yes we are all entitled to our opinions,,,,and this is mine!

[DMFB]

I would like to know why folk think the Gp'S are 'lining their pockets with money'.. ? Any patients at the Canisbay and Castletown surgery know the service and care they get AND the fact that the gp's are not driving Porsches, or wearing Chanel suits. !!! longggg hours are worked by both doctors. The profit is fed back into the service, health board do not fund the surgery. It is not like Riverbank which is currently run by the nhs! Princess street branch at Halkirk has a dispensary. What is so wrong with protecting rural services? The services will be affected with the closing of the dispensarys , yes gp's surgery will exists in some form, with or with out the present doctors. The lot on here who are so free to have a pop at folk who are trying to save the service , will be the ones moaning on here when they can't see a gp within 10 days, or see the same doctor at subsequent visits. Oh and before u start, yes we are all entitled to our opinions,,,,and this is mine!

Now if I were to look back at my words I have printed I have only stated that the people reaping the largest benefit from this is the GPs and its financially yes. I stand by what I say I have not sad the GPs do not work for this. They provide a service which they receive payment for. Also I dont recall mentioning anything about the lifestyle or the vehicles that the current GPs drive its up to them what they drive I drive what I can afford to drive and I am sure they do likewise.I would agree and I have stated already that the profit is highly likely fed back into the service thereafter once all other commitments are paid for the money then goes to, let me see if Ive got it right in my not so youthfull brain the Gps and there is where you have the slight conflict of interest. Those who recieve the most from the this pharmacy in the surgery is basically the GPs. Joe public are going to recieve this service no matter who provides it.There is nothing wrong with protecting rural services but if you look at it you are actually cutting your nose off to spite your face. This person is as far as I can see and unless a wee bit of this often spoken about dementia has set in on me already is offering to enhance the service by providing more for the public.Now you tell me apart from whats been spoon fed to you by the gps which NHS highland have already said wont happen, how this is going to affect services. There will still be a Gp service unless the Gps themselves who seemingly have the best interests of the patients at heart toss in the towel and both retire early.I am not having a go at any one trying to save a service which quite frankly is not going to be lost if you look at the facts its just going to exist in a different possibly enhanced form.Also this also could mean that rather than waiting ten days to go and see a GP the smaller minor ailments can be often dealt with by a pharmacist so this will help the gps freeing up their time for their sicker patients more in need of their help.Quite rightly so we are all entitled to our oppinions but I also feel this mob mentality has only managed to silence the few who are in support of this pharmacy going ahead and believe me they are out there like it or not there are a few people silently supporting this application.

[DMFB]

Another wee thought on this one to help highlight my point.I may be wrong but here goes. I am currently on warfarin I am on it for life. Say I am a patient in castletown. I go visiti the gp and then i to collect my prescription from the very very busy GP. Now again I think i remember being told by someone once that pharmacies are paid per perscription. Does the very busy gp give me a 1 month prescription or 3 months because im on it for life i will always need these tablets in whatever strength im told to take it and they can give me this send me away and not hav to bother with me apart from bloods again for while. I am not saying that this is happening like this for a financial reason but look at it it leaves you open to also sorts of accusations if effectively yo are writing the prescriptions that you will be benefiting from dispensing.I am not for one minute saying this is the case but just highlighting little anomolies if thats the correct word to use.