Despite everything
going quiet for a long time, the wheels of bureaucracy are
still turning slowly and our services are still under threat due
to the potential opening of a pharmacy in Dounby.
Because we now have a clearer idea of the time-frame involved, it is time for us to raise awareness of our campaign to ‘Save Our Surgery’ again.
SOS Meeting
There will be an SOS meeting at the surgery next Monday 8th at the usual time - 7-30
PUBLIC MEETING
There was a public meeting in the Dounby Community
Centre last week to let everyone know about the latest developments in the
Pharmacy Application, in light of the statement by NHS Orkney in the local press.
A
further twist to the long drawn out saga is that the applicants have
included Evie in their definition of the neighbourhood for
the proposed pharmacy. This means of course that the Evie Practice
would be affected in the same way as ourselves and lose their
dispensing income. They are equally dependent on dispensing
income and, because of the size of the practice, this loss of
income could potentially make them non-viable.
The Pharmacy
Practices Committee
is in the final stages of being appointed and we understand
that they will meet to consider the application by Norsepharm to open a
pharmacy in Dounby at the end of February 2010. As you will be aware,
the Health
Board is canvassing public opinion by inviting comments from the
readership and audience of the local media. It is worth noting
that the application will also affect patients of the neighbouring Evie
Surgery, as the two practice areas overlap so much - they too would
lose their dispensary if the application is successful.
We realise that
you have already voiced your opinions, vociferously, by writing numerous
letters to your MP, MSP etc. and by signing our petition, but we would urge you
to once again put pen to paper and respond as enthusiastically as you have done
already by writing in to the Health Board. Because Orkney Health Board are formally seeking
public opinion, this is likely to carry more weight than anything we have
done previously, hence the importance of as many people as possible responding
to it. If you feel as
strongly now as you have done in the past, then please show your support once
more by writing to The Board Secretary, FREEPOST, NHS Orkney, Balfour Hospital, New Scapa Road, Kirkwall KW15 1BH
A patient focus group has been set up, called SOS Dounby.
The names of the people on this group and other information can be found by clicking the link above and they can be contacted at
sosdounby@gmail.com
The next meeting of SOS Dounby is on Monday 14th December at 7pm in the Surgery
Over 100 people took part in a march from the Kirkwall
Pier
basin to Main street. Footage of the report by David
Hartley for STVs North Tonight
can be viewed by clicking on the image above.
Swine Flu Vaccination programme
News
about the pharmacy application has rather dominated our thoughts and
the timing could hardly be worse, as the Swine Flu Vaccination
Programme is now in full swing. However, we are well under way
with sending out invitations to people at risk and have had a very good
response so far. If you would like a jab and haven't heard yet,
this is likely to be because vaccine supplies are still limited, but
please contact the surgery if you are worried about this.
We have had several reports that people are not able access the surgery
mailbox, so as a temporary fix a new mailbox has been set up
- dounbysurgery@gmail.com