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National trend away from free delivery


By Staff Reporter

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A NATIONAL pharmacy has confirmed it will no longer deliver free prescriptions without charge.

As of September 30, Boots the Chemist will charge £5 per delivery, a move local businessman and Forres Community Council (FCC) chairman Graham Hilditch believes will adversely affect those people who cannot afford to pay.

He said: "This charge is totally unacceptable, particularly for the elderly, sick and vulnerable. I would imagine that the vast majority of income for our local Boots comes from the supply of prescriptions.

"Many elderly residents are totally dependent on receiving regular delivery of their medication and may not have the financial means or support network to make alternative arrangements."

FCC member Frank Byrne was told by a member of staff: "We are going to be charging across the board as it's new company policy. It was a financial decision - it costs more to deliver prescriptions than the company gets for dispensing a prescription. Lloyds are already charging, and some pharmacies have stopped deliveries."

Moray Councillor George Alexander personally investigated the issue, claiming chemists are aggrieved by having to provide and maintain a vehicle for delivering drugs, with no assistance from the Government to cover this cost.

He said: "Delivering prescriptions is clearly a free service that chemists can no longer maintain and it is difficult to see how they can be forced to maintain a free service. This looks like another service which the community, in the form of relatives, friends and neighbours, may have to pick up if the housebound are to continue to receive their prescriptions."

He added: "Of course, there is always the hope that the NHS will pick up the tab, but I doubt it!"

An NHS Grampian spokesperson told the Gazette that there is very little they can do, as prescriptions come under national policy.

Meantime, Moray MP Douglas Ross has written to the chief executive at Boots after constituents complained.

He said: "These new charges come into force from October 1 which gives people just a short period of time to look at alternative suppliers. Some have contacted other pharmacies to see if they can deliver, but have been told they must go on a waiting list if there isn’t capacity, which is obviously concerning.

"Given that Boots are still advertising their free online prescription delivery service, I’m also raising this with the Advertising Standards Authority."

Boots point out that the change is in line with other pharmacies who, for many years, have charged for home delivery of prescriptions from stores.

A spokesperson said: "Rising costs to dispense and deliver, coupled with increased demand for the convenience of home delivery, means we have to adapt to ensure Boots continues to care for patients across the UK. Prescriptions remain free in Scotland when they are dispensed in Scotland or collected from a pharmacy in Scotland. Scottish prescriptions will only incur a levy charge if dispensed and delivered (posted) from England and the patient doesn’t meet the exemption criteria on the back of the prescription."

He added: "Delivery of prescriptions is not a service paid for by Scottish Government and never has been. Delivery has historically been at the cost of the pharmacy."



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