Pharmacy decision is delayed as tenants keep fingers crossed

Jul 1 2009 by Kenny Smith, Rutherglen Reformer

Pharmacy decision is delayed as tenants keep fingers crossed

THE people of Spittal are still waiting to find out if they will get a pharmacy.

Last week the Reformer reported that more residents in the area responded to a survey on the issue than voted in the European Elections.

Glasgow Rutherglen MSP James Kelly conducted the survey after becoming increasingly disillusioned with the process by which pharmacy licences are dished out in Scotland.

The whole community has rallied round in support of the applicants David Dryden and Michael Balmer, receiving cross-party support from local politicians.

The applicants said: “We have not yet been informed of the the decision of the National Appeal Panel, so it is very difficult for us to comment at this stage.

“However, we feel that we presented a strong case to the NAP, and the the information submitted by James Kelly MSP represented independent evidence of the need for a pharmacy in Kyle Square.

“In addition, we were overwhelmed by the scores of letters from the residents of Spittal - and beyond - in support of a pharmacy in the area.”

MSP James Kelly and the Reformer uncovered a host of discrepancies in the system that saw the local pharmacists being prevented from opening the lifeline service on two occasions.

Now Mr Kelly hopes the voice of the people will persuade the National Appeal Panel to side with the two chemists and allow one to open in Kyle Square.

He posted 1200 postcards asking people to send them back to him with their views, and an incredible 37 per cent of people have responded, of which over 90 per cent were fully behind the plan.

Remarkably, that is well above the 24 per cent of electorate who turned up in Rutherglen and Cambuslang for the Euro elections!

Mr Kelly recently spoke on the issue in a debate at Holyrood and has written his own representation to the panel who heard the appeal last Wednesday.

The Spittal pharmacy saga has gone on now for over a year. David Dryden and Michael Balmer were originally given the go ahead by a Pharmacy Practices Committee, but rival chemists in Croftfoot and Burnside had their appeal upheld by an NAP, who concluded there was no need for the service in Spittal.

A second practices committee concluded against the applicants, despite no new evidence being provided.

The Reformer has reported a series of issues involving conflicts of interest on NAP boards, while Mr Kelly has hit out at the transparency of the process.

Mr Kelly met with Yvonne Harton, secretary Spittal Tenants and Community Association last week, and she said the whole scheme was behind the plan.