Petition to save our pharmacies (From Penarth Times)

Petition to save our pharmacies

PENARTH chemists are joining together in a bid to save their pharmacies from closure.

Traders are petitioning against Government de-regulation proposals which will allow medicines to be sold on any premises.

Plans, they claim, that could lead to the collapse of the community chemist shop that many locals rely on.

Pharmacist Christine Davies, who owns Washington Pharmacy on Stanwell Road, is firmly against the new rules.

She said: "I have written to our Assembly Member Lorraine Barrett and MP Alun Michael to protest against the proposal to de-regulate pharmacies.

"More than three quarters of our business is NHS prescriptions and there are only so many prescriptions to go around."

She added: "We opened a petition a few days ago for customers to sign and have 200 signatures already.

"I think the service we offer is personal and is appreciated by our customers. We do home deliveries, deliver oxygen and many other personal services."

Ivor Owen Chemists is also running a petition. This was immediately signed by elderly customer Dorothy Thomas of Penarth . She said: "I have come here for years because I like the people. They know me well as I get my prescriptions from this pharmacy."

Owner Pete Stein said: "As much as 80 percent of our business is brought in by prescriptions. But if pharmacies can open anywhere they want it will take some of the main income.

"If chemists have to close down where will the older people go?

They may live close to a chemist but the next one will be a lot further away and it may be difficult for them to get there.

This proposal could be likened to the Post Office closures which will be hard for older people."

He added: "Our petition has more than 150 signatures from customers who support us."