South Kintyre residents are being urged to make their voices heard as the consultation period for the opening of a new Campbeltown "healthcare hub" approaches the half-way stage.
Pharmacists Syed Ali Kazam, Idreece Khan and Zain Younis of Zakpharma Ltd plan to submit an application to the NHS Highland health board to open a new, independent pharmacy at 2 Mafeking Place.
It comes after national pharmacy chain Boots closed one of its two Campbeltown branches in November, with its remaining Longrow South store now the town’s only pharmacy.
The pharmacists plan to create a "healthcare hub" where they will offer the Pharmacy First scheme, free blood pressure checks and blood glucose monitoring as well as free home delivery of prescriptions.
As part of the application process, NHS Highland and Zakpharma Ltd are undertaking a joint public consultation exercise, seeking the views of everyone who accesses pharmacy services in Campbeltown, regardless of whether they reside within the town or in a neighbouring Kintyre village.
They aim to determine whether residents feel they already have adequate access to pharmacy services in the area and to gauge support for the application, with all views submitted to be incorporated into a consultation analysis report.
This will then be taken into account by the NHS Highland Pharmacy Practices Committee, which decides the outcome of an application.
The consultation process, which lasts for 90 working days, began on Monday January 29 and will end at 5pm on Wednesday June 5.
The public consultation questionnaire can be completed online at forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=veDvEDCgykuAnLXmdF5JmoBCXsTY-NxJgSqKQQIa9-hUMVk1MVAwNTVYMUc1SU05Q1hBR1BMMzdLWS4u
Alternatively, paper copies can be collected from Campbeltown Medical Practice, Keeping It Local at 15-17 Main Street, the Co-op supermarket or Campbeltown Library.
However, because of the extra workload involved with collating paper responses, people are being asked to complete the survey electronically, where possible, with paper questionnaires primarily reserved for those who are not able to use or access the digital version.
Respondents are also being asked to take care to fill in every question in the paper survey as any questionnaires not fully completed are considered invalid and, therefore, cannot be used as part of the consultation analysis report.
A leaflet containing details on how to access the questionnaire, including a QR code link to the survey, will be included in the Friday March 22 edition of the Campbeltown Courier.
Follow the ‘Campbeltown Pharmacy’ Facebook page for any updates on the plans and consultation.
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