A Richmondshire GP surgery has issued a warning to patients after an online pharmacy targeted residents in the district.
Pharmacy2U has sent to letters to residents in Richmondshire advertising its services.
However, the Central Dales Practice has warned that switching to an online pharmacy service jeopardises the future of both existing pharmacy services in the district and GP practices.
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The practice said it was aware letters had been sent to patients registered with the surgery.
But said it did not recommend patients use the service.
In a statement on its social media page the practice said: “Pharmacy2U are a warehouse style online pharmacy.
“Using their service puts your practice and your local pharmacies at risk.
“Please continue to use our surgery for dispensing patients and your local pharmacy for non-dispensing patients, if you don’t want to lose your local surgery and pharmacy.
“Please support us.”
The Central Dales Practice has branches in Hawes and Aysgarth.
Managing partner Lynn Irwin said that dispensing medicine to patients provided income which allowed the surgery to run and staff the practice.
“Without it we would really struggle to keep both sites open,” Lynn added.
Pharmacy2U is the largest online pharmacy in UK and was set up by a team of pharmacists in 1999.
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Ok I am a Luddite but I can walk into my Chemists any day. I can talk to a real person if I want a qualified opinion or advice, even sort out the occasional problem with my Prescription.
How good is that??
I received a mailshot from this organisation, which advertises extensively on television. It seems to me to be a parasitic set-up which offers very little and threatens to deprive communities of the valuable services provided by real pharmacists, who are more accessible for medical advice and support than the understaffed GPs surgeries in this part of the county.
My husband registered me with this company, as sometimes it’s not convenient to get to the pharmacy. However they fell short at the 1st hurdle, as they failed to deliver my medication on time, stating it was down to a computer glitch. Needless to say I went back to my pharmacy Boots in Colburn, who were able to help and fulfil my prescription. I have now cancelled my service with Pharmacy2U and gone back to Boots.