Sandy Morton says

An atrocious article about the pharmacy and Millport appeared in the Herald on Sunday - obviously written by a reporter who hadn't a clue, hadn't done her homework and was writing only what she was being supplied with. The article can be found at http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/island-drug-war-on-the-mean-streets-of-millport-1.1043445

Jim Peacock says

Sandy,

Thanks for putting up the link.  I haven't read The Herald in a while and it now seems worse than the tabloids.  That said, after the colourful intro, most of the information is correct.  Semple has been using the press to his advantage and it is up to SODS supporters to respond and get coverage of their views, for example, pointing out a doctor cannot carry the contents of a dispensary in his black bag and Semple's apparent unwillingness to guarantee a pharmacist in adverse weather and out of hours etc etc.  The GPs also need to show that they already offer or are prepared to offer all of the services which pharmacists claim to provide including a prescription check.  Using the dispensary profits to fund a third GP greatly improves the service we receive but that is irrelevant to the Scottish Executive/Area Health Boards which want the provision of the community pharmacy services listed by Christine Dick on the other thread.

June Allison says

Sandy - i have just read this disgusting article.   Is anyone answerring this reporter?   If not, the SODS will most definitely do so.  

However, one glimmer of light - we are certainly rattling Semple's cage.

June Allison says

I have just sent the following communication to the Editor of the Sunday Herald

J Maguire says

June,

Althought I agree with what you are saying, I'm not sure that insulting the journalist and the newspaper editor will help out cause.

June Allison says

J Maguire - I didn't think I had insulted her but after speaking to her yesterday, the idea is very attractive.

June Allison says

One other thing that may interest you J. Maguire both of the articles slating Millport and their GPs were only written AFTER Mr. Semple had contacted both the Herald and the Largs and Millport papers.

Personally, I cannot find it in me to consider these actions to be worthy of a professional man or his profession.

Mr. Semple is now considering over 70 of the (about) 124 Dispensing Doctors practices in Scotland.

As I keep repeating, those opposing him care about our essential front line services, not his bank balance.   He keeps banging on about GP's finances - maybe he would like to tell us all his turnover per annum?????????????  

June Allison says

There is a lot more about this application on the following link:

http://patientsods.co.uk/latestnews.aspx

Francis Cawdor says

Staying in millport myself, I completley agree with the private pharmacy opening on the island. Maybe people such as June Allison should perhaps stop being so pessimistic and more optimistic.

Obviously we should check the doctors bank balance as he obviously isn't interested in providing vital services which a pharmacy would, and only what is rolling into his bank.

Insulting the editor of the newspaper isn't going to get anything any further, and maybe you should focus on other things than being so childish.

After reading the article, I do not find it "disgusting" but actually very factual and shows the true positive facts. Hopefully some narrow minded people will realise that.

J Maguire says

I must say I don't think the report that on today's BBC news was very balanced.

Also a story on the BBC website which seems fairer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-10827578

Christine Taberner says

There is another article on the BBC website (www.bbc.co.uk/scotland) entitled 'Rural drug dispensary row takes fresh twist' in relation to the current campaign.

June Allison says

Francis Cawdor - your comments are a disgrace,   You obviously have no conception of the actual facts and your rudeness about our Doctors and the medical service here is beneath contempt.

Sandy Morton says

Francis I am only being mildly pedantic - I thought that we lived in and cared for Millport? I don't really care how much the Doctors make but I really do care about the medical service which we receive and I, a very regular user, think it is excellent. I will be very disappointed if we lose that excellent service because someone else, who seems only to be interested in the cash, was allowed to damage it.

June Allison says

this is the letter I sent to the Editor of the Sunday Herald.
 To the Editor
 Dear Sir
 I have spoken to Ms. McArdle regarding her article in the Sunday Herald and.she admits that she was contacted by Mr. Semple and the article was slanted from what he told her.

  However, I wonder if she also looked at the email sent from him referrring to his "global sum" and it being diluted, or the ones to the Leuchars SODS "crowing" about his activities.

 Mr. Semple only began to wish to bestow the "benefits" of pharmacies on rural populations when under the F.O.I. act he was able to find out the turnover of Dispensing Doctors!

 We are an island with the access problems all of that involves, we have a predominately elderly population who will find difficulty in accessing a shop some way from the surgery, we have much higher than the average number of people in wheelchairs and mobility scooters, none of whom will be able to gain access to the proposed pharmacy.

 You must also remember that we have a "ferry bus" not any public transport as such and there is no fuel for sale on the island, all of which hinders easy movement from the West Bay and the housing scheme.

 On the island we have a purpose built Surgery and Dispensary in a public building which has just got £5. million to be totally refurbished so that our Health Services could all be in one place, so what can possibly be improved by moving the dispensing service away to a smaller dingier shop without disabled access?

 We are a fragile economy and placed in the overall ranking of of multiple deprivation and the loss of the 5 jobs and one doctor will be fairly catstrophic to us.

 Also 49% of our population is over 55.  

 At our public meeting we had some 300 people.  Considering the number of children on the island and those involved in their care, the housebound, those away on Age Concern trips that day and those already booked into our travelling cinema which  comes once a month, that is an enormous amount and there was 99% support for the island to retain the Status Quo, i.e. our Dispensary Service.

 As for the reports of bullying.   These are ridiculous.   We are the Millport SODS, not the "mafia" and all we have done is have our say and put forward our opinions.   We are a democracy and all are allowed their opinions but no one has been "bullied" which is a ludicrous claim to make about a committee run by o.a.ps whose spokesperson is a 66 year old 5'2" woman.

June Allison says

I totally agree Sandy.   I just wonder why the minority in favour of a pharmacy have to be so aggressive in their comments and so personally abusive?.

Considering the phrases and style of two of the most vociferous posters on this subject, I am convinced they are one and the same person?

What I do know is that anyone in possession of all of the true facts wouldn't make such sweeping comments that have no real basis to support them.

Making foul comments about our excellent medical services doesn't alter what the vast majority know, nor alter the facts of the matter - some of which are outlined in my letter above.

J Maguire says

Well it seems in Leuchars and Balmullo we have lost our fight.

The Doctors have had  their appeal turned down and will not be opening a pharmacy.

The only option left I think is to re-apply and hope they  grant the second application as they did with the unwanted Leuchars pharmacy.

http://patientsods.co.uk/latestnews.aspx

Jerry

June Allison says

Hi Jerry

Up in Aberdeen and met with Alan Kennedy today of Leuchars SODS.   Our arsenal is not empty yet so don't despair too much.

In Millport we'll continue to fight no matter what.   We'll not give in easily.

We've still got the ultimate weapon of an organised boycott - maybe you could think about this too.   Don't let the pharmacy profit from any of this - we have to fight this unwanted interference in our lives every inch of the way!

Good Luck

June