Waiouru accepts pharmacy solution

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 564, 29 November 1994, Page 5

Waiouru accepts pharmacy solution

By

Michele

Monaghan

About 30 people attended a public meeting in Waiouru on Thursday to discuss the closing of the chemist. Community Health Group chairman Phil Gardyne chaired the meeting and outlined possible solutions, with the best belie ved to be a depot system to be run out of the ci vilian surgery . This system would be up and running as of l December, the day after the pharmacy closes, the meeting was told. Mr Gardyne said the surgery will hold and dispense a lot of the prescription medicines routinely used. Any medicine not held will be couriered to Waiouru from a Turangi pharmacy daily. Depending on the requirements the courier drop may be increased to twice daily said Mr Gardyne. "Basically (we) end up with a pharmacy that is not at the community centre, but at the civilian surgery," said Mr Gardyne. Pharmacist Sandy Florence addressed the meeting saying he knew this system would work and work effectively. "We don't want to just walk out of here. We want to provide a system that will work. I believe this will work because that's the game we're in. This will not be a problem for us." Courier costs will be picked up by the Turangi pharmacy so the cost to the consumer will be no more expensive than any where else, he said. The surgery' s practice nurse will dispense all medicine. Current practice nurse Prue Woodard said the system would be run on a cash-up-front basis only. AGI manager John Peden said he was keen to talk to the outgoing pharmacist so he could stock a larger range of over the counter medicines for the community.

Questions from the floor included security and additional training for surgery staff. Mrs Woodard said the surgery had already started to increase the medicines held and these are already barred and secured. "I don't envisage any security problems," she said. The surgery also has an alarm system. Additional training will involve a qualified pharmacist spending some time with surgery staff to pass on any tips required. When attendees of the meeting were asked what they thought of the system the feedback was very positive. "It sounds really suitable and I feel really positive about it," said one member of the community. "It could actually mean less running around for a mum in the pouring rain with a baby." Mr Gardyne said he was really pleased that the community had sorted out its own problems without sitting back and waiting for the army to step in. The army has come to the party in some respects, by making the practice nurse position at the surgery a full time position, instead of a part time one, the meeting heard. It was pointed out that people were under no obligation to use the depot system. Prescriptions can still be filled at any chemist. Mr Gardyne closed the meeting by saying the Community Health Group is there for the community and reminded people that the group meet once a month. The meetings are open to the public. Community Health Group Chairman Phil Gardyne and Pharmacist Sandy Florence shake hands on what they believe is the best solution to Waiouru' s pharmacy woes.