DMC changes afoot

[Fuschia]

There is a drawing in the surgery of their proposed expansion - to be 4 storeys with a gym in the basement and to include a pharmacy and a dentists surgery.

There is also a consultation card, though the only possible responses are "I support it" or "I want to discuss it more"

[Claire29]

I remember a year or so back they wanted to turn part of it into a pharmacy, which would be one of the chemists where people with drug problems could come and collect their methodone, and it would be open late. Thankfully that was stopped by local people against it, and i'd expect the same sort of response this time around, at least in regards to the pharmacy. Plus how many pharmacies does east dulwich need!

[Sue]

Claire29 Wrote:

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> I remember a year or so back they wanted to turn

> part of it into a pharmacy, which would be one of

> the chemists where people with drug problems could

> come and collect their methodone, and it would be

> open late. Thankfully that was stopped by local

> people against it, and i'd expect the same sort of

> response this time around, at least in regards to

> the pharmacy. Plus how many pharmacies does east

> dulwich need!

xxxxx

So where are people supposed to get their methadone, then?

People who are on methadone are trying to get off heroin, that's what it's for.

They should be congratulated for their efforts, not treated as some sort of dangerous threat to the neighbourhood.

I remember the saga well (though if my memory is correct it was to be a needle exchange), because it was in trying to find out more about what was going on when I was approached to sign a petition that I discovered this forum :)

And I would have thought it made perfect sense to have a pharmacy attached to a doctor's surgery, and be extremely convenient for everybody with a prescription from the GP.

[LegalEagle-ish]

I concur, most heartily. Stop being NIMBY twonks.

This is a good idea so get over yourself, and you might like to take note that the chemist who kicked up all the fuss has now sold out to Lloyds Pharmacy.

[bawdy-nan]

who's being a nimby here? 4 storeys on that site is pretty high - though it sounds like the range of sevices on offer could be interesting.

Agree with you LEish about Lloyds pharmacy ...

The DMC seems pretty good, and my experience, pretty patient focused and responsive

[SimonM]

Ideally every GP surgery should have its own pharmacy either on the premises or next door. It is just so convenient for a substantial proportion of the patients. be they sick, infirm or just wrestling with numerous toddlers. The Forest Hill Road surgery gets an honourable exception to this rule as there's two pharmacies practically over the road (shame there's no crossing there though) and has Cafe 2050 close by where one can recover from the ordeal of collecting one's repeat prescription by consuming coffee and chocolate cake...

[CF]

regarding the needle exchange there is a nursery right next door to the doctors and I dont think its a good idea that the two mix.

[Ted Max]

Lovely day out. More tea vicar? See the football, shocking wasn't it? How's the wife keeping?

[macroban]

Ah yes, I remember it well.

In return for East Dulwich not getting a 24-hour pharmacy the existing pharmacies promised to extend their opening hours.

[Sherwick]

Isn't there room for a cinema complex too? And maybe a theme park...

[lenk]

CF Wrote:

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> regarding the needle exchange there is a nursery

> right next door to the doctors and I dont think

> its a good idea that the two mix.

I don't think anyone's suggesting the needle exchange be IN the nursery.

Nurseries usually have fences and doors and things like that around them if I remember correctly.

[Reg Smeeton]

What and where is DMC?

[Sandperson]

CF Wrote:

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> regarding the needle exchange there is a nursery

> right next door to the doctors and I dont think

> its a good idea that the two mix.

Ha, ha. This is hilarious. I suppose you wouldn't want any of those pesky homosexuals near the nursery in case they try any funny business. Or are you worried that the kids might be lured into the world of modelling by being exposed to heroin chic from an early age?

[CF]

yes lenk i am sure the needle exchange wont be in the nursery but in my opinion better the two arent right on top of each other, there are plenty other places where their could be a needle exchange.

[bawdy-nan]

oh please - not again

DMC is Dulwich Medical Centre which is on Crystal Palace Road sandwiched between Gumboots Community Nursery and East DUlwich Community Centre.

One of the main onbjections last time around was the pharmacy question - the idea that local pharmacies would be put out of business. It all looks rather different now that the Northcross Road independent has been sold to Lloyds Pharmacy.

As I say, 4 stories is rather high especially when it will overlook / over shadow the nursery's outdorr space but as I haven't seen the plans I couldn't make a sensible comment on that.

[macroban]

Chronologie is the prettiest gin.

On what date did the petition appear outside the "independent".

On what date was the "independent" sold on?

[bawdy-nan]

eh eh eh eh eh eh eh

[LegalEagle-ish]

Another question that springs to my mind, is when did the 'local-independent-lovely' pharmacy begin to talk to Lloyds about selling up and would the opening of a late night/24 hr pharmacy at DMC have affected the money they would have received or even prevented them being able to sell up?

Hmmn, I bet all you schmuks who signed the petition with 'rightious' indignation, now feel like a bunch of... schmuks.

[Sherwick]

bawdy-nan Wrote:

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> eh eh eh eh eh eh eh

Calm down! Calm down!

[Sue]

CF Wrote:

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> yes lenk i am sure the needle exchange wont be in

> the nursery but in my opinion better the two arent

> right on top of each other, there are plenty other

> places where their could be a needle exchange.

xxxxxxx

Please - we've already had this discussion ad nauseam. Please search for and read the original thread before going round and round the same ground.

A needle exchange by its nature will be used by responsible people. They won't have "addict" tattooed on their foreheads, probably, and probably they will look just like everybody else. Nor will they, probably, strew the needles they have come to exchange around the area. I doubt whether the users (ooops) of the nursery will even be aware of their presence amongst the other visitors to DMC.

And as pointed out above there appeared to be other factors involved in the previous opposition.

This reminds me a bit of the heated opposition to Sainsbury's opening on Dog Kennel Hill. All sorts of dire consequences were forecast, including traffic jams back to Camberwell Green in one direction and Forest Hill in the other. None of them happened, and we got a new and very nicely designed (on the whole apart from one misplaced path) park in addition to a convenient supermarket (albeit one which has seemingly deteriorated since).

[Amysdad]

What happened to the extended hours compromise? I've been to Streatham twice in the last few weeks for late night drugs.

[macroban]

Why not ask BARA?

[AnotherPaul]

Let's get this straight. The needle exchange didn't happen because it was never going to happen. The application to open a 24hr pharmacy could only be made if the owners of the pharmacy stated they were willing to run a needle exchange. Not that they were going to actually run one.

As for the redevelopment, make it discreet and useful and there's no argument to be had.