Many people in the village have received a circular letter offering home delivery service for Prescriptions. A number of people have expressed concern that this would negatively impact the service offered by Springbank Surgery.  Dr Richard Tatham has written an open letter in response, which is published below:

Thanks for showing interest in how the flyers advertising York Delivery Pharmacy might negatively impact the practice locally – you’re quite right, they will. We fully support patient choice, and patients are entitled to nominate a pharmacy that best suits their needs.

However, our dispensing service is closely integrated with our clinical team. This means that:

    • Prescriptions are processed directly within the practice, reducing delays and minimising the risk of errors.
    • Our dispensary team can liaise immediately with GPs regarding any queries, medication changes, or safety concerns.
    • We are able to provide prompt access to medications following consultations, often on the same day.
    • We can offer tailored support for patients with complex needs, including the elderly, housebound patients, and those on multiple medications.

In addition, income from our dispensing service is reinvested directly into patient care. This helps us:

    • Maintain higher levels of GP and nursing staff than might otherwise be possible
    • Provide more appointments and improved access
    • Support continuity of care and longer consultations where needed

For context, we currently provide around one full-time GP per 1,600 patients, compared to a national average of over 2,200 patients per GP, which reflects the additional capacity supported by our dispensing service.

While home delivery services can be convenient, they don’t offer the same level of integration with the GP record or the same ability to respond quickly to changes in care. We are particularly mindful of the importance of maintaining resilient local services in rural communities. Our dispensing model supports both the sustainability of the practice and the wider care we are able to provide.

We would encourage patients to consider these factors when making decisions about their nominated pharmacy. If you have specific needs—such as difficulty collecting medications—please speak to our team, as we may be able to help or advise on suitable arrangements.

As always, our priority is to provide safe, effective, and accessible care for all our patients.

Please feel free to advertise this as our statement.

Richard

Dr Richard Tatham
Springbank Health
Green Hammerton
York YO26 8BN
01423 330030

Last Updated on 20th April 2026 by Mactab

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