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Trust have announced that the application for the 100 hour pharmacy and needle exchange on Crystal Palace Rd has been withdrawn.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.
sanbikinoraion said
I thought that we Lib Dems were supposed to be “pro” harm-reduction-by-legalization-of-drugs. If that’s the case, why are we celebrating torpedoing a needle exchange?
(NB. I know nothing of the area, just saw this on Lib Dem Blogs)
Experiment 1 said
There seemed to be a real ‘not in my backyard mentality’ as far as the views of local residents went with regards to this (see the East Dulwich forum thread concerning this matter). It’s a shame how the majority of East Dulwich folk residing in the Barry Road seem to lack compassion when it comes to issues concerning people with drug addiction issues. It’s good to ban plastic bags to help save the environment, but it’s not good to invest in improving the health of drug addicts. These are sad times we live in!
cllrrthomas said
I can see where these comments are coming from.
I can’t speak for others but I wasn’t making a nimby point.
what is the case is that no one actually thinks we need a needle exchange – its just that government rules, for some reason, require this to be provided as part of a pharmacy with extended opening hour. Secondly, if a pharmacy with extended hours is needed (with or without a needle exchange) this is the wrong spot for it. It would make more sense in a cluster with other shops where it would help support the local economy.
Idetrorce said
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce