Key Summary
- Free Sunday taxi service set up between Leek and Biddulph Late Night Pharmacy
- Helps patients with urgent health needs access medicines without waiting until Monday
- Trial runs through August; council reviewing local healthcare demand
A pharma outlet in Biddulph and a taxi firm have decided to help patients from Leek area, where there are no pharmacies on Sundays, by providing free rides.
Organised by Leek Link Taxis and Biddulph Late Night Pharmacy, the free shuttle is at three set times during the day.
The services are beneficial to people with acute health conditions and they need not wait till Monday to get access to medication and care.
They began trials in July and will continue till the end of August.
Patients can make a taxi booking via Biddulph Late Night Pharmacy.
Leek resident Dave Swarbrook told BBC Radio Stoke that he came up with the idea and approached Eddie Sabir, owner of Leek Link Taxies.
Sabir claimed he too had noticed many customers travelling to pharmacies in Biddulph or Stoke-on-Trent on Sundays.
Muhammad Shuaib, manager, Biddulph Late Night Pharmacy said many patients from Leek used to come to their pharmacy on Sundays and needed medicines urgently.
He felt that Leek needs a pharmacy open on Sundays, but wondered whether there was enough funding available.
Meanwhile, councillor Martin Rogerson, of Staffordshire County Council, said the authority was currently gathering people's views around healthcare provision and demand.
