by stratmantd » 04 Sep 2010, 13:56
Thanks Mikey, Dave and, of course, Malc for helping to balance the furore (storm in a teacup) that I inadvertently seemed to cause. As the questions were rather old ones that had been published on the net and also in books many years ago I thought it might be amusing to have a laugh and answer them as if they were being asked for real. Some people didn't appear to realise this whereas others did.
It is interesting to see how many times the thread was read but not commented on. It shows, to me, that most people couldn't really care one way or another or didn't want to be seen to be taking sides.
The answer regarding supermarket pharmacies really seems to have polarised opinion.
I am happy to admit that I got that one wrong. Well, not happy really because I honestly don't agree with having pharmacies in supermarkets; we should support local pharmacies and small local shops. Without them there is no character to a city/town/village.
As I do not drive, I do not frequent the type of shopping centre where these places are more likely to exist. My nearest Co-op has a Post Office in it but no pharmacy. Even if it did I would not use it as there is a Boots next door. There is no benefit to using an in-store dispensary anyway as the prescription charge is £3 per item whatever dispensary you use and if I want any other medication I would just buy it while getting the prescription rather than hoping to save a few pence going to a supermarket which only has the pharmacy (at the back) to entice you to buy groceries that you don't really want or need as you pass through it.
There is nothing like the network of Tesco stores in Scotland as there is in England and Wales and there are none that I would use within walking/relaxed public transport to me.
My nearest ASDA has a Post Office, Baby changing facilities, McDonalds, (such apt placement) but no pharmacy. My nearest Morrison's have no pharmacies either. Any Sainsbury's are too far or out of the way to mention. There is a Co-op pharmacy near where Malc lives but I only found that out today as I searched for them on the internet. It is not handy for me.
So, from my experience, supermarkets with pharmacies are few and far between; they are certainly not in places that are handy for people who do not have their own vehicle and nothing to do with not getting out enough. For all you know I may be in perfect health and don't need the services of a pharmacy although, I suppose knowing the price of a prescription catches me out on that one.
And, yes folks, it is £3 an item in Scotland.
Mikey, many of the answers I gave came from quick internet searches on Google (there are other search engines) and are therefore true if you can believe anything you read online. (possible tautology there).
My favourites are to the question regarding leaving the car on the drive while the garage is full of junk and about doctors' practice/practise.
Perhaps some wit could give a definitive answer to your question regarding the Monopolies Commission. I hope so.
Keep on chuckling!
