COLEY PARK residents have rallied around their pharmacy as its future comes into doubt due to government funding cuts.
On Friday November 11 around 50 people came out to show their support for Newdays Pharmacy on Wensley Road and its owner of ten years, Olivier Picard.
A couple of weeks ago Mr Picard discovered that Newdays would lose all of its £25,000 a year establishment funding by 2019.
The French national, who runs a free prescription delivery service for his customers, believes that this financial hit could signal the end of the independent chemists.
“When the funding goes some of the services will have to suffer,” Mr Picard said.
“I may be forced to start charging for services. This is the last thing I want to do, but I am not sure what we need to do in order to stay afloat.
“It is looking like we might have to close down. Although closure is not imminent, in two or three years time if nothing changes, I don't know.”
From December all pharmacies that are within a mile of another will have their funding phased out in a reorganisation of how pharmacies are financed.
For the largely elderly population of Coley Park that means a 25 minute walk to Lloyds Pharmacy or a 20 minute walk into town.
“We are an elderly population in Coley. I am 90 and I can't get into town,” explained Anne Maslen as she brandished an anti-cuts placard.
“It would be terrible for the community if the pharmacy closed down.”
Jennifer Dunk echoed her sentiments and spoke of the service that Mr Picard and his six employees provide to the estate and surrounding area.
She said: “My husband was in hospital in London for two weeks and I forgot my heart and blood pressure medication when I went up to stay with him.
“I rang Olivier and he faxed through the prescription to a pharmacy close to where I was and arranged for me to pick it up.”
Newdays Pharmacy delivers 20 to 30 prescriptions a day and makes two runs to three care homes every weekday.
Those wanting to get involved can go to https://www.npa.co.uk/representing-you/campaigns/Join-the-NPA-campaign-to-secure-a-sustainable-future-for-independent-community-pharmacy
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