It's my dream to open a pharmacy (From Bucks Free Press)

It's my dream to open a pharmacy

2:31pm Tuesday 9th May 2006 in

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I AM the sole director of Newdays Pharmacy Limited, a Lane Ender who recently made the application for a new pharmacy in Lane End.

I have been reading with interest the comments raised by the public in connection with my proposal to create a new pharmacy in Lane End and feel it is about time I address some of the concerns.

I am a pharmacist residing in Lane End and am myself registered as a patient of Lane End surgery.

Until recently, I worked as a pharmacist manager and then an area manager for a FTSE 100 pharmacy chain. After six years in an organisation where profits, targets and market share were more important than patient care, I left with the aim of building my own small business where I could ensure the highest quality of patient care and customer service. And what better place to start than at home?

Over the past few years, I have often marvelled at the lack of access to pharmaceutical services open to the patients of Lane End and surrounding villages, compared to most other areas of the country. Indeed, I thought it was only a matter of time before the likes of Boots or Lloyds placed their name above a shop front on the high street.

So when I left my former company, it was with bated breath that I had to watch and wait for my non-compete restrictions to fall away before I could try for every pharmacist's dream.to open my own pharmacy in my own village!

Newdays Pharmacy Limited is the entity through which I intend to start trading if my application for a pharmacy is successful. I am the only director and shareholder, and I intend it to stay that way.

In retaining the right to dispense, the doctors are, in effect, depriving the community of Lane End from a whole host of pharmaceutical services that the rest of the country currently enjoys, such as: l a pharmacist available to give advice and answer queries without an appointment in person or by telephone; l access to non-prescription medicine only available in pharmacies without seeing a doctor and without having to drive or take a bus anywhere; l repeat dispensing this is a scheme where repeat prescriptions can be obtained directly from the pharmacy, by-passing visits to the surgery to request the prescription; and l dispensing prescriptions in weekly/monthly trays for patients who have problems remembering when to take which medicine, or for those who have difficulty opening blister packs or screw bottles.

I also intend to offer: l a free of charge prescription collection and home delivery service to those who need it; l an oxygen supply and delivery service; l assistance to help patients quit smoking; l free baby milk to mothers entitled to claim milk tokens; l a pharmacist trained and accredited to prescribe medication for minor ailments without seeing a doctor and free of charge to patient exempt from paying prescriptions l consultations with patients to explain the proper use of their medicine; l emergency contraception (dispensing of the morning after pill free of charge without the need to see a doctor) without appointment; l supervised methadone and subutex consumption to help drug addicts overcome substance abuse and free needles to addicts to prevent them sharing needles l possible Sunday and bank holiday opening as part of the out-of-hours service scheme.

Not only will my proposal free up the doctors' precious time and reduce patient waiting times for appointments, it will provide jobs for local people and greatly improve access in the area to pharmaceutical services.

I would like to note my disappointment with the Domesday tactics used by the Lane End surgery in defending themselves against my application. You will have all read in last week's BFP that Doctor Eley states that the arrival of a pharmacy in Lane End will force the surgery to close. This is a preposterous claim (and indeed, this is the last thing that I want).

Wycombe PCT's comments (BFP April 28) clearly show their intention to support the surgery in maintaining the current excellent standards of medical care in Lane End.

Dr Eley states that the surgery now has 4,600 patients registered. I have worked and managed many pharmacies in villages where the population is significantly lower, which have survived for decades and continue to be viable small businesses.

If a pharmacy is permitted, I shall try and position the shop as close to the surgery as possible and will take on board any other objections raised in order to accommodate patient concerns. My long-term aim is to work with the doctors, not against them. We are all trained healthcare professionals with the same aim: the care of patients.

If having read this letter, you think that Lane End would benefit from a pharmacy or have any other points to raise, please write in to the BFP. Supporting letters to this application may also be sent to Mr Paul Bennett, Chief Executive Wycombe PCT, Rapid House, High Wycombe, HP11 2EE.

Dr Olivier Picard Director Newdays Pharmacy Limited Lane End