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island news Edition 20
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NEW TWIST IN COMMUNITY PHARMACY ROW Andrew Walker.
Lay member sacked days before hearing made public the fact that he had accepted their invitation to be a lay member. On learning at a public consultation in Balivanich that lay members were not supposed to declare themselves, he issued a press statement stating his belief ‘in the principle of openness and transparency in the conduct and proceedings of all key stakeholders’ in the process, adding ‘I am not in favour of un-elected ‘faceless’ bureaucrats making key decision behind closed doors without public accountability.’ NHS WI told Mr Walker in his dismissal letter of October 23 that they had sought legal advice regarding the implications of his statement for any decision taken by PPC. The letter cited bias or perception of bias as a potential reason for a Judicial Review of the hearing, something which would lead to ‘unnecessary delay and expense.’ The letter went on: ‘Your statement indicates that there are aspects of the process ,I \RXÂśUH LQWHUHVWHG LQ KHOSLQJ \RXU FRPPXQLW\ with which you do not agree and which you are prepared JHW EHWWHU SUHSDUHG IRU HPHUJHQFLHV H J VHYHUH to disregard. The advice ZHDWKHU SRZHU IDLOXUH IORRGLQJ HWF given to the Board is that this &RPH DORQJ WR D &RPPXQLW\ 5HVLOLHQFH 0HHWLQJ alone creates a risk of ,Q WKH challenge by Judicial Review.’ %HQEHFXOD &RPPXQLW\ +DOO %DOLYDQLFK Mr Walker’s sacking also RQ follows a number of issues he had raised with the NHS :HGQHVGD\ WK 1RYHPEHU DW SP WI over the controversial 7R ILQG RXW KRZ WR PDNH \RXUVHOI \RXU IDPLO\ application. DQG \RXU FRPPXQLW\ PRUH UHVLOLHQW Mr Walker wrote to ask if the application was legally .H\ 6SHDNHUV competent after the applicant, x 5HVSRQGHU $JHQFLHV Local Pharmacies, extended x &1(6 (PHUJHQF\ 3ODQQLQJ the scope of their proposed $OO &RPPXQLW\ JURXSV UHSUHVHQWDWLYHV LQWHUHVWHG services to include North UHVLGHQWV DUH LQYLWHG WR DWWHQG Uist, contrary to their UHDG\VFRWODQG RUJ previous advert in which only Benbecula was mentioned.
Andrew Walker, 67, of Kyles Flodda, Benbecula was told by letter from NHS Western Isles chairman Neil Galbraith that he had been dropped from the panel to decide the outcome of the application for a dispensing pharmacy serving North Uist and Benbecula. Mr Walker, a community councillor and retired social worker, was one of three lay members invited in August to attend a hearing of the application by the Pharmacy Practices Committee (PPC)due to take place this month. Mr Walker ruffled feathers at NHS WI when he
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He also questioned the part of the legal criteria for determining the application. Mr Walker said: “The PPC is not allowed to take into consideration the effect that the pharmacy may have on the dispensing doctors, and that was what was causing most concern among the community. I suggested these concerns seemed very real and difficult to ignore.� Speaking after his dismissal, Mr Walker told Island News that having attended both public consultation meetings and witnessed the strength of feeling in the community against the pharmacy, he failed to see how anyone involved in the process could be anything other than biased against the application. He added: “Are the NHS legal advisors mind readers? I have made no public announcements since the press statement, which contains no element of bias one way or the other but is critical certainly of the process I had become embroiled in. While I wish to show respect for the judgement of the NHS Board, I question their wisdom.� (The statement can be seen at islandnews andadvertiser.co.uk/community-pharmacy-proposal -statement-by-lay-member-andrew-walker/) Mr Walker said he now intends to submit a formal complaint about his treatment as a lay member to the board. Meanwhile an NHS WI spokeswoman said: “The [legal] advice given to NHS Western Isles was that any perceived bias by a member of the Pharmacy Practices Committee could create risk of challenge by Judicial Review. “Any such challenge would undoubtedly lead to a great deal of unnecessary delay in the process and additional expense. “In order to minimise the possibility that the committee’s decision would be challenged, NHS Western Isles took the decision to replace one of the lay members on the committee with another lay representative.� She added: “The hearing will be held in November and the decision announced on the Board’s website.�
Seaweed Required We require a supply of freshly cut knotted wrack (ascophyllum nodosum) for our new seaweed processing factory based on North Uist. If you wish to be involved in cutting seaweed please register your interest with us whether you wish to start immediately or in the future. Training will be offered. We hold some tools and equipment in stock. Phone 01876 500267 Email info@uistasco.com Visit the factory at Crogaire Quarry
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