Southwark Primary Care Trust have announced that the application for the 100 hour pharmacy and needle exchange on Crystal Palace Rd has been withdrawn.

This is a sensational turn around due, in large part, to the hard work of local people, notably the Barry Road Residents Association (BARA).  East Dulwich Lib Dem, Cllr Jonathan Mitchell,  also deserves credit.  Apart from speaking out at the public meeting, manning campaign stalls,  making the case against the government sponsored plans in the press, he also put in hours behind the scenes working with local campaigners.

Local Pharmacies to extend opening times

Of course, lots of people do want extended pharmacy opening hours. Existing local pharmacies are organising a rota for extended opening hours, matching GP opening times. This will mean that members of the public will still be able to obtain their prescriptions directly after visiting the doctor.    

 An accountable health service? 

So much of this could have been avoided if the health bosses had consulted local people properly.

This latest failing comes hot on the heals of the scandalous decision to close the Maudsley emergency clinic and the imposition of massive budget cuts locally. We are told that all of these government led decisions are opposed by our local Labour MP  - but it seems she has no influence in Government to get her own way.

It’s yet another example of the need for a locally accountable health service that has to listens to the views of local people – not Government ministers in Whitehall.

Last night Dulwich Community Council agreed this year’s Cleaner Greener Safer grants. For me the highlight was the relatively modest £16k allocated to the Say NO to Plastic Bags  campaign.  This is a community campaign, supported by locals and traders, to promote cloth bags in and around Lordship Lane.  The East Dulwich councillors have been involved from the beginning. We gathered signatures in support at the Dulwich Green Fair and  I am on the SNUB committee. Hopefully we can agree a design quickly and and make a real impact reducing plastic bag waste as soon as possible. The aim must be to make Lordship Lane the greenest shopping street in London!