I WOULD like to respond to Muriel Smith's letter entitled "Holiday Chemist Snag", published in Shuttle/Times and News on May 8, if only to set the record straight.

There was an "emergency chemist" open in Stourport on Easter Sunday.

Boots on the High Street was open from noon until 1pm. At the same time, Lloyds in Kidderminster was open, and Vantage Pharmacy opened for one hour, later in the afternoon.

The chemists' rota is there to provide an emergency service to those patients who develop a need for a pharmacy service with, or without, prescription, after close of normal business.

It is not intended to be an extension of normal service, and yet we often see patients bringing in repeat prescriptions, or prescriptions dated several days earlier which, with a little planning, could have been obtained during "normal hours".

The chemists' rota is paid for by the National Health Service and the local health authority has to balance the cost of providing the service against the likely demand for it.

In my experience, the balance is about right, and while there may be an occasional busy rota, no patient is ever turned away, the chemist working on without payment until every patient has been served.

I am happy to report that most patients are grateful for this service.

MIKE SAXON

Store manager

Boots

Swan Centre, Kidderminster

l The Shuttle/Times and News publishes a guide to late-opening chemists on the District News page every week. It always includes special arrangements on Bank Holidays.