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Burstow backs Community Pharmacists in competition row
March 4, 2003 5:00 PM
Local MP Paul Burstow is backing local pharmacists in their campaign to protect high street chemists. The MP has written to Health Secretary, Alan Milburn MP, urging him to reject the Office of Fair Trading recommendations to deregulate high street pharmacy.
The MP has already met with local pharmacy leaders to discuss their concerns. At last weeks meeting of the Sutton Seniors Forum (28th Feb) Mr Burstow added over 150 more names to the growing petition opposing the OFT plans. On Friday (7th March) MPs Paul Burstow and Tom Brake will hold a counsel of war with local pharmacists. Next Monday (10th March) Mr Burstow has made arrangements for local pharmacists to lobby of MPs for Wandsworth, Merton and Sutton.
Paul Burstow MP said:
"Community pharmacists play an important part in the health of local people. They are clinicians not shopkeepers and the Office of Fair Trading have failed to recognise this in its report. Rather than deregulating pharmacy the Government should be developing pharmacy."
"Greater competition will lead to less not more choice on the high street. Driving community pharmacists out of business will undermine the NHS. The big losers will be the elderly and young families who rely on the neighbourhood pharmacist.
"The Government must end the uncertainty and reject the OFTs misguided plans."
ENDS
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