June Allison says

Sarah McSorley is again being economical with the truth. She's a Pharmacist so she KNOWS the existing Dispensing Service WOULD HAVE TO CLOSE with the loss of the girls' jobs and one of our Doctors, not to mention the threat to the viability of the Garrison.

Mary Carolyn Lawson says

Having lived in Millport for the better part of two years, I can understand Ms. McSorley's desire to live there. I love Millport, but more importantly, I love her people. It grieves me to think that anyone would put her selfish desires ahead of the health and well-being of those 1310 residents of the island. The economy is doing enough damage to services. Why, Ms. McSorley, must you add to the grief???

June Allison says

Mary makes a very valid point. Mz. McSorley has not shown any desire to live here - merely open a business here.
A business which may, or may not, put money in her pocket but will completely ruin things for the rest of us.
Apart from financial gain, I can think of no other reason for her to make this 2nd assault upon our tried and tested services.
However, from what I hear I cannot feel that her business will be one to attract many willing customers.

Sandra Goldie says

I can imagine you are right June, there won't be many willing customers if this lady gets her application approved. Maybe it should be somehow conveyed to her that the residents will boycott her pharmacy, if she does get to open it, despite the inconvenience of getting presciptions made up in Largs. As she doesn't want to be available for out of hours emergencies, then she isn't going to make much money. Perhaps if she realised this she might think again, or is she just one of these people who likes to get her own way and as the saying goes "would cut her nose off to spite her face".

Kirsten Smith says

I totally agree that the pharmacy will have a devastating effect on the local community. The healthcare we receive on the Island is top class. Everywhere else in Scotland is NHS 24 and all we need to do is call our local doctor at any time of day and they'll be there for us. The Island is so lucky to have such a top-class service and to have a pharmacy would destroy that not to mention how terrible it would be to have all those empty rooms which were purpose built in the Garrison just sitting empty.

The pharmacy application is ludicrous. Stay off our Island Ms McSorly! We don't want you here! Your pharmacy will not be McSOREly missed!

Sarahmarie O'Connor says

Whilst I appreciate you may make valid remarks, I would urge people not to discredit themselves by making disparaging comments which are not relevant to the application. And before they make any character assassinations, does anybody actually know Ms McSorly?

Former Resident says

I have no axe to grind here as I have not lived on the island for many years now, but I feel that there has been ill-considered and ill-informed almost universal protest against this proposal for the simple reason that people dislike change. The GPs are of course against this plan - why? because they are paid a tidy fortune by the Health Board as a dispensing practice and would lose this income if they lost this part of their business, and trust me, being a GP running a dispensing practice and a GP cottage hospital is HUGE BUSINESS. The proposed pharmacy would not result in job losses as the same doctors will still write the same number of prescriptions which will require the same manpower to process them and any sensible pharmacist would surely keep on staff who are trained and familiar with the job. A commercial pharmacy would in addition provide a much improved service in the form of prescription collection and delivery service as well as the invaluable minor ailments scheme.
Finally, a new shop would be a very welcome addition to the range currently on offer.

MARION LIVINGSTONE says

Once again a 'No name comment' surely if the above person, as they say, has no axe to grind and no longer lives on the island they should not have a problem signing their comment! I will agree that people dislike change but in this instance why would any of us who are resident and currently have the best possible service available wish to see that jeopordised in the way proposed by Ms. McSorley. The final comment would suggest continuing links with the island is this the reason for the anonymous post?

Sandra Goldie says

I would like the anonymous person to consider why anyone would want the Minor Ailment Scheme, when the doctor service is so good.

People don't want to talk to a pharmacist about personal problems no matter how minor, they want to talk to their doctor. Where there is a practice with doctors still willing to provide a traditional service, why would anyone want to change this?

Also to suggest the doctors are making vast profits is ridiculous. They are obvioulsy ploughing some of it back into the service by hiring an extra doctor. aslo why shouldn't someone providing such a wonderful service, far superior to what most prctices do nowadays, not get a decent renumeration for it.

When you see the vast sums paid to the most useless people in the country, I know who I'd rather see being paid well for such hard work and dedication. I can't understand why the health Board would even give this application the time of day.

They must have had an input when the surgery was planned to be moved to the Garrison and been in full agreement with this, so why even consider something that could jeapordise the viability of the current excellent medical service.

Finally I agree, why not sign their comment if they think their point of view is valid. Let's face it the population of Millport isn't exactly noted for lynching visitors who don't agree with them.

Everyone who has made their point has done so politely so what have they to fear, unless of course they have a connection to the applicant. I remember when one of the female politicians had her husband writing supportive letters to their local paper. He didn't do it anonymously, as she still used her maiden name, but eventually someone realised who it was.

Does anyone else think it seems odd, that the only comments in this forum which are supostive of the applicant, are the ones which are anonymous?

Alan Kennedy says

Sandra says: "People don't want to talk to a pharmacist about personal problems no matter how minor, they want to talk to their doctor." Well, possibly in the parallel universe you live in. In the rest of the country, the vast majority of the population are happy to pop in to their local pharmacy and have a chat with their pharmacist about 'minor ailments'. In fact, this is as traditional a service as you could get. The NHS would collapse in a week if everyone had to see a GP about every ache, pain, twitch and itch. Sandra says: "Also to suggest the doctors are making vast profits is ridiculous." You're probably right. However, since you are so keen to support them maybe you should ask to see a tax return. Average GP salaries are well known - if they're average then they have nothing to hide. Incidentally, I have no connection with the applicant. I just hate to see people mislead.

Sandra Goldie says

Well at least Mr Kennedy identified himself. Yes we might well consult our pharmacist on certain minor problem, which I have done, but we should still have the choice,as even minor problems can sometimes be delicate. In a small community the local pharmacist might well be a neighbour and we might not want to discuss a personal type of problem however minor. I do apologise for thinking he had a connection to the applicant, but if he hadn't withheld his name, my suspicions would never have arisen.

Sarahmarie O'Connor says

Your doctor is your neighbour. They are both healthcare professionals, so I see no difference between the two. In fact in the words of Dr Bryson himself, "Our patients have been our neighbours friends and colleagues."