Medication horrors for senior citizens

THE EDITOR: A recent newspaper report stated that senior citizens who unfortunately are sick and require medication have been experiencing great hardship and inconvenience with having their respective prescriptions filled due to the fact that the hospital pharmacist consistently arrives late for duty.

On one occasion an elderly lady complained bitterly that she arrived at the hospital one morning at 5.45 in order to catch the 8 o’clock opening only to realise that there were five persons already in attendance. To add to her woes the pharmacist arrived at 10.30 am. One could well imagine the frustration and stress this poor woman and the others had to endure. How on earth can anyone with a heart or conscience treat our ailing senior citizens in such a manner? While this writer understands that the hospital pharmacist could be appropriately dealt with for his shortcomings, those in authority ought to seriously consider alternatives which will ease the suffering of our elderly folk, some of whom have to travel for miles.

One such alternative could be a contractual arrangement between the Government and pharmacies nationwide facilitating our senior citizens who are ill and require medication which they can now obtain from pharmacies within the district where they reside or from one not too far in distance. Remember Mr or Mrs Decision Maker, with great luck, one good day you like everyone else will eventually fall into the category of “A Senior Citizen”.

G WILDMAN
Glencoe