Threat to our Medical Services In Castletown Meeting Called

[JSutherland-West]

Hi Everyone,
Just to let everyone know about a meeting taking place in Castletown Drill Hall on Wednesday 20th November @ 7.30pm.
This is to discuss an Application by Apply Pharmacy Group to open a Pharmacy in Castletown where the current Chip Shop is.
Many of us are against this happening as it will lead to the loss of services from Castletown Doctors Surgery and also Canisbay Surgery.

There is a Facebook page about this and also document response from Castletown Doctors.

https://www.facebook.com/SayNotoApplePharmacyGroup

Document
https://db.tt/UlRlycZY

[KILTIECAULDBUM]

Document
https://db.tt/UlRlycZY

Can't get the above link to work??

[JSutherland-West]

Apologies KILTIECAULDBUM here is the updated link.

https://db.tt/XJTcmTSj

[Alrock]

Why not a community buy out?

[Gronnuck]

Having read the relevant FB page, Doctors' letter etc. Apple's application seems pretty pointless. If Apple's actions diminished the surgeries at Castletown and Canisbay to the point of closure. It is envisaged that patients transfer to medical centres in Wick or Thurso, so surely it follows that these same patients will get their prescriptions from Wick or Thurso pharmacies while they are there. Someone in Apple needs to think this through properly.

[Gronnuck]

It is interesting that at the meeting of the NHS Highland Pharmacy Practices Committee on Tuesday 8^th October Sanjay Majhi of Apple Pharmacy Group applied to provide general pharmaceutical services at Milton of Leys, Inverness. Ms Danielle McTaggart of Apple Pharmacy Group opened the Applicant’s case by saying, “Any new application must be considered in terms of the legal test: Is the application necessary or desirable in order to secure the adequate provision of pharmaceutical services in the neighbourhood in which the premises are located.”
Can I suggest that the requirements of the Legal Test are already adequately fulfilled by our Medical Centres at Castletown and Canisbay.

[Big Gaz]

It will be a tough fight going by Apple's recent strategy of employing lawyers to fight for their case. They rubbished other pharmacies, made claims and other accusations to try to get their case through. They don't lie down easy! Sanjay Majhi even has his own website where he spouts the praise of Aplle and what they can do better than other pharmacies. Not a nice bunch to have in the neighbourhood

[cptdodger]

Why can the Castletown Dr's not continue to dispense medicine from the surgery as well as have a Pharmacy in the village? There are three Pharmacy's in close proximity in Thurso that seem to do okay. Personally speaking, rather than take up the Doctors valuable time, i will seek advice from a pharmacist first, when it comes to minor things. I am just talking about pharmacies in general, as I have never heard of this Apple Pharmacy.

[may67]

Any new application must be considered in terms of the legal test: Is the application necessary or desirable in order to secure the adequate provision of pharmaceutical services in the neighbourhood in which the premises are located.”


That is the key to beating this application.........necessary or desirable. All letters to the power's that b, must say it is NO necessary or desirable.

[jimbews]

Why can the Castletown Dr's not continue to dispense medicine from the surgery as well as have a Pharmacy in the village? There are three Pharmacy's in close proximity in Thurso that seem to do okay. Personally speaking, rather than take up the Doctors valuable time, i will seek advice from a pharmacist first, when it comes to minor things. I am just talking about pharmacies in general, as I have never heard of this Apple Pharmacy.

Judging by what happened here in Fife (Google "leuchars pharmacy application") then what is almost guaranteed is:
The application will be granted (on appeal if necessary)
and
The surgery's pharamacy service will be forced to stop.

Good luck!