The Solent Pharmacy- A Public Appeal to Support The NHS Application

05/06/2024

A LAST PUSH FOR CHANGE!

05/06/2024

Dear Supporter

I am writing to you to inform you that the Hampshire Integrated Care Board (Local NHS team) have disappointedly REJECTED the initial application to open a new Independent Pharmacy on the Lee-on-the-Solent, 137 High Street.

It is not uncommon for such applications to be refused initially, and the opportunity to appeal is something we are most certainly going ahead with- albeit with a very short deadline.

The grounds for rejection are as follows:

1) the NHS commissioner believes there is already a reasonable choice with regard to obtaining pharmaceutical services.

2) there is no evidence of people sharing a protected characteristic (being elderly, parents with young children, the infirm or disabled etc...) having difficulty in accessing pharmaceutical services

3) there is no evidence that innovative approaches would be taken
with regard to the delivery of pharmaceutical services.

With these reasons in mind, it is important to remember that public opinion and experience is considered to have a very heavy weighting when an appeal is being made.

We are appealing to all of those who have supported this application from the start to provide one more written/typed letter which should include the following:

1) There own poor experiences with the pharmacy provisions within Lee-on-the-Solent (Boots), and even alternative providers outside of the area.

2) What hurdles make it difficult or impossible for you to access other providers that are outside of the Lee-on-the-Solent area, such as poor public transport links, lack of support from family, inability to drive, no use of vehicle, costs associated with transport, disabilities, age etc...

3) How many people there are in your household that this letter represents i.e. if you are writing this letter and it also applies to your partner then your letter should state there are two people within your household that are faced with the same issues and that would benefit significantly with a new pharmacy in Lee-on-the-Solent.

4) It is important that those with protected characteristics such as the elderly, parents with young children, those who are unable to afford public transport and the infirm or disabled to make it very clear in the letter that they share these characteristics and have great difficulty in accessing alternative pharmacies and have no reasonable choice in who they use as a result of their protected characterisitic.

5) Please feel free to include any other information you believe is relevant in your support for this application. It is important that the information you include in your letter is honest and true.

The deadline for final supporting letters is Tuesday 18th June 2024.

All letters can be addressed to the following and sent via reply to this email: thesolentpharmacy@gmail.com

Ref: ME3065- CAS-259597-W2B6R3
Primary Care Appeals
8th Floor
10 South Colonnade
Canary Wharf
London
E14 4PU

Alternatively, you can post your letters through the letterbox at the proposed site: 137 High Street, Lee-on-the-Solent.

Your time, support, patience and willingness to help is appreciated.
We hope to be able to be of service to the local community without any further delays beyond this appeal.

Best wishes

The Solent Pharmacy Applicant

09/02/2024

Hi everyone!

As you may have heard there have been some rumours of a new Independent Pharmacy operating out of the previously and well known Wine Bank, 137 High Street, Lee-on-the-Solent.

The time has come to finally shed some light on the situation.
There is indeed a pending application in with the NHS which currently is in the state of open representation to members of the public, councillors, schools, and essentially anyone who is interested in giving their insights into whether the application should be approved or declined.

There have already been some objections to the application by a handful of other Pharmacies (including both Chains and independents) operating within a close proximity of the proposed new Pharmacy site.
Having said this, we have had fantastic supporting letters issued on behalf of some of the local GP surgeries as well as the Council.

This page has been set up in order to reach as many members of the public that would want to support the granting of the new Pharmacy contract.

The NHS are very keen to hear from members of the public before the 7th of March 2024 before they make a decision. Your response to patient participation form and the change.org petition will be sent directly to the NHS on completion.

If you want to support this application then please visit the website: https://www.thesolentpharmacy.co.uk and complete the following:
1) the patient participation form
2) the change.org petition
3) share the website and this page with friends and family.

Together, let us bring a positive result for the local community of Lee-on-the-Solent

Thank you for your time and support.

In recent times, Lee-on-the-Solent has faced a concerning lack of pharmacy provisions, including delays in prescription turnaround times and lack of access to a diverse range of services due to only being serviced by Boots.