From Mr A. Phillips, MRPharmS
SIR,—I read with some incredulity your non-coverage of the fuel crisis.
While I realise this was possibly not a problem in London, for the vast majority
of pharmacists in the north west it was a real headache.
Your report that the National Health Service authorities designated pharmacists
and staff as essential services (PJ, September 23, p435)
glosses over the stark reality of the awful bureaucracy of the situation. Lists
of essential users were set up locally which in Liverpool meant without any
input from the local pharmaceutical committee. This resulted in a situation
where, unless you delivered oxygen, you would not be considered for supplies.
Cries for help to the National Pharmaceutical Association, local health authority,
etc, went largely ignored.
I have heard of pharmacists sleeping in their shops and of deliveries to housebound
people being made on foot, if at all. In my own case getting into work
itself was a problem, let alone providing services to the housebound and disabled.
In Liverpool, pharmaceutical services were affected by the crisis and a little
acknowledgment of that by the ivory-towered overlords would at least be appreciated.
Alun Phillips
Warrington,
Cheshire