Exclusive by Nora Parminter

A PLANNING Application by Crediton Pharmacy for a “no significant change” relocation from 19a High Street, Crediton to the New Valley Practice at Newcombes has been refused by the South West Pharmaceutical Services Regulations Committee on behalf of NHS England.

The Devon Local Pharmaceutical Committee were in support of the application and Crediton Town Council also recommended approval.

Ron Cuthbertson, a member of the Patient Participation Group (PPG), was astounded to read that the application to relocate Crediton Pharmacy had been refused because of opposition by Boots and Lloyds Pharmacies.

He said: “This was strange indeed, for as I understand the situation, funding for the acquisition of the building and its proposal to include a pharmacy had been approved by the NHS!

“It’s pretty evident to me that vested interests have scuppered the whole proposal and the losers, as ever, will be the patients.”

OBJECTION

The chair of the PPG, Lin Denner said: “We feel that Chiddenbrook has set a precedent with having Lloyds on site and yet they (Lloyds Pharmacy) object to New Valley Practice doing the same.”

Dr Jo Harris of the New Valley Practice said: “The money was given on the basis that the refurbishment would allow us to increase our clinical capacity.

“Now clearly additional rooms means we have the space to increase our clinical capacity, but we also have to find additional income with which to pay extra doctors and nurses and we were hoping that the private income from the pharmacy would be an extra income stream and allow us to increase clinical sessions without having to make cuts elsewhere.

“It is certainly clear from the application to the Primary Care Infrastructure Fund that the intention was for a pharmacy to relocate to this site.

APPROVAL

“NHS England approved the scheme and financed a significant percentage of the build.

“Now that they have refused the application to relocate the licence, we are left with an empty shell.

“At no stage did anyone warn us that this might not be possible.

“To be honest there are other ways to use the space to generate income, but a pharmacy, I believe would be the most beneficial to patients.”

LETTER TO MP

Former Mid Devon District Councillor, Phil Bourne has written a letter to Mel Stride, MP for Central Devon, in the hope that he will be able to assist in reversing what Phil calls a “disastrous decision” of NHS Pharmaceuticals Services to override the application for a pharmacy on site at New Valley Practice.

Phil said: “What is this dinosaur, supernumerary ‘committee’, to override the New Valley Practice application for a pharmacy on site, in what appears a very, very questionable and ANTI-COMPETITIVE way.

“This sensible application, forms such a vital part of the very logical basis of the New Valley Practice, with well thought-out and constructive objectives for their future sustainable service to this community locally, and the rural community they serve in Thorverton and Silverton as well as their associated country areas.

185 MORE HOMES

“This side of Crediton has not only expanded and seen considerable increased pressure in town parking, and all services, since the Link Road opened but will soon be subject to further building to the east at Wellparks with about 185 houses sensibly approved plus, in due course, the environmentally mad, but seemingly unstoppable developer-driven proposal for more than 300 houses at ‘Pedlarspool’ (Creedy Bridge) near the flood plain, again to the east of the town.

“We must be looking at another 1,500 people moving to this side of the town, nearest, by far, to the New Valley Practice at Newcombes, plus 500 more at least to follow quickly.

“You don’t need to be Werner Von Braun either, to understand the local demographics of the high proportion of medically more dependent older people, who will benefit immediately with the simplicity of a pharmacy combined with the surgery, which operates well at Chiddenbrook for the community at the western side of town.

AIR POLLUTION

“Crediton has struggled over the years as an air pollution black spot and evidence of speed, noise pollution with badly neglected general, and left behind particularly road safety/traffic management infrastructure, is already damaging our quality of life every day, with more vehicle miles, HGV’s and traffic saturation around the East of the town, changed markedly and generated by easier access in via the link road, but with no safety valve of the sadly rejected, By Pass, to the west.

“The multiple pages of what looks like a computer generated standard, poor clarity index report seeking to justify the negative decision, ignores all of these local and fast changing dynamics and needs of the people completely.

“People, as ever, pay the price of the remote decision condemning residents, without considering ongoing existing expansion to this side of the town and imposing restriction of commercial freedom on its primary care NHS sister, at a crucial time for the forward thinking and evolving proactive New Valley Practice management, brilliantly led by Dr Jo Harris.”

DEVASTATED

The owner of Crediton Pharmacy, Osman Hamid and his team of staff are devastated by the refusal of their application.

Osman explained: “The government recently announced pharmacy cuts and being an independent pharmacy we thought we were in a stronger position.

“The NHS was supportive of Crediton Pharmacy moving to the New Valley Practice so it was a huge shock to hear that the application had been refused.

“The rent we would have paid to the Practice would have helped to support doctors and nurses at the surgery.

COMPETITION

“We are one of two pharmacies competing on the High Street and we are really struggling as people automatically go to Boots.

“I have explained to the staff that we will give it another 12 months and if things don’t improve then we will have to go into administration.

“We are all devastated by the news. The staff have been working at the pharmacy for many years.

“We will do everything we can to survive, but unless numbers increase we will have no choice.”