Pharmacy closure will not affect prescriptions

18/05/2009 | Pharmacy closure

MidCentral District Health Board is reassuring Levin’s Queen Street Pharmacy customers that their prescriptions will be filled despite the temporary closure of the Horowhenua pharmacy.

The Ministry of Health’s Licensing Authority has advised MidCentral DHB that Weraroa Pharmacy’s (also known as Queen Street Pharmacy) licence will be suspended for four weeks, effective from close of business on Monday 18 May.

MidCentral DHB is working with the Manawatu Community Pharmacy Group to ensure that patients requiring repeat prescriptions from the pharmacy during this time are able to collect them without paying for a new prescription to be written.

“Customers who have repeat prescriptions to be collected from Queen Street Pharmacy will be able to collect these from Tararua Pharmacy at no extra cost,” explains Mike Grant, general manager of funding at MidCentral DHB.
“As Tararua Pharmacy is located opposite Queen Street Pharmacy, inconvenience to customers during this time will be at a minimum.”

With five pharmacies still in operation in the town Mr Grant is confident Horowhenua residents will have no problems accessing any prescription medicines they require.

The decision to suspend Queen Street Pharmacy’s licence resulted from quality issues identified during Pharmacy Quality Audits conducted by Medicines Control (Medsafe). 
As the pharmacy was unable to comply with all the conditions of the licence, suspension was deemed necessary to maintain public health and safety.

The pharmacy is able to have its licence reinstated after the four weeks should it meet the necessary requirements.

CONTACT:
For more information please contact
 
Caroline Rowe
Communications Advisor Funding Division
MidCentral DHB
021 162 0274
Mike Grant
General Manager Funding
MidCentral DHB
027 688 0004