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23

May 2024

Last Updated: 29/05/2024
Community
Community

Harrogate surgery accused of discriminating against older people

by Flora Grafton

| 23 May, 2024
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A Harrogate charity for older people has raised concerns about a GP surgery making it more difficult for patients to request prescriptions.

Spa Surgery at Mowbray Square Medical Centre has sealed up letterboxes outside the surgery where patients could deposit prescriptions to encourage more people to post orders online.

It prompted 68-year-old patient Michael Burlinson to claim the move was an "egregious example of ageism', as reported by the Stray Ferret last week.

Kate Rogata, director of Supporting Older People, told the Stray Ferret the move “does feel discriminatory”.

Ms Rogata, whose organisation alleviates isolation and loneliness, said the surgery should recognise “not everyone can use the technology to order prescriptions online”, adding:

“It feels as though they are disenfranchising elderly people. We have to remember the minority and make sure there are options that everyone can use.”


The sealed letter boxes.



Ms Rogata urged the surgery to “reverse" the move, which she described as "slightly retrograde", and “consider all means for people to request their prescriptions”.

Spa Surgery has said patients can still drop off paper requests in person at the surgery. Ms Rogata welcomed this but said she still had concerns:

“That can only really be done when the practice is open. There should be methods in which people can request or send their requests at any time – like posting it in the letterbox.
“My own surgery welcomes any method of requesting prescriptions.”


‘We are sorry if there's been any confusion’


Spa Surgery said it had nothing to add to its previous statement in response to Mr Burlinson's concerns.

Practice manager Clare Hedges said at the time:

“We are sorry if there's been any confusion.
“In the letter to our patients we wanted to first direct people to our telephone and online services. However, we realised that people who had contacted us with issues which prevented them using digital media or a telephone service may still have a paper prescription.
“If they were heading to our surgery with the intention of using our post box – now sealed – we thought it would be helpful for patients to know they could still drop these off in person or post them to us using Royal Mail.”


Mowbray Square Medical Centre comprises of Spa Surgery, East Parade Surgery and Park Parade Surgery under one roof.

The sealed letter boxes belong to all three practices.



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