IN last week’s Gazette & Herald, Dr Richard Sandford-Hill, GP chairman of the Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group, warned that GP services in Wiltshire are in crisis and in danger of falling apart. This is largely due to fewer newly qualified doctors choosing to go into general practice and more experienced GPs taking early retirement. Dr Sandford-Hill further states that “....it will not always be possible to see a GP and in many cases it is not necessary.”
If the picture painted by Dr Sandford-Hill is as dire as it would appear, I would very much like to know why our community pharmacies are being threatened with closure.
As I know from personal experience, the pharmacists provide an invaluable service. They are very knowledgeable, their advice is sound, and they are kind and caring. What’s more, you can see one within minutes. And they will quickly tell you if you need to see your GP or not. With more and more people moving to Marlborough, with a medical practice stretched to the limit, with an overworked hospital A&E, why are we even considering axing our pharmacies, or am I missing something?
ROBERT MACMILLAN
Kelham Gardens
Marlborough