I have today written again to both Karen McDowell, Acting Chief Executive of the NHS Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB), and Marc Donovan OBE, Director of Healthcare Development and Public Affairs, following his visit to the Merrow Park and Epsom Road pharmacies in December 2023.
This is because I am concerned that since the pharmacy in Merrow Park closed, long queues and lack of prescription stock have caused serious anxieties for customers in the Burpham and Merrow area.
Having received a response from Karen to my original letter, in which I asked her what support the ICB can give to residents of the Burpham and Merrow area to ensure that their pharmaceutical needs are met going forward, I was informed that the Surrey Health and Wellbeing Board is currently reviewing the pharmaceutical services provision in the area.
As the situation is now urgent, I have written to Karen to convey the concerns of residents who have increasingly been writing to me since the closure of the pharmacy in Merrow Park. I have asked to meet the Community Pharmacy Clinical Lead at the pharmacy as a matter of urgency to help the ICB understand the profound inadequacy of the pharmaceutical provision.
I have also asked Marc to confirm as a priority the actions that Boots is taking to improve the current provision at Epsom Road and to ensure the pharmacy is fit for purpose.