PRESCRIPTIONS FOR MEDICINES

Southland Times, Issue 24573, 23 October 1941, Page 4

PRESCRIPTIONS FOR MEDICINES

EARLIER PRESENTATION URGED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 22. The difficulty experienced by chemists in dispensing prescriptions left with them at rush periods of the day was, mentioned by the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, in an interview this evening. He asked for the assistance of the public by leaving prescriptions with their chemists as early as possible. “About a year ago,” said Mr Nordmeyer, “the Minister of Industries and Commerce made a statement about the difficulties under which chemists were working in completing prescriptions left with them during rush periods. A very good response on the part of the public was noted at the time and it has again become necessary to amplify the appeal then made because of additional work created in some cases from the introduction of the pharmaceutical supplies benefits under the Social Security Act. A good number of qualified chemists and pharmacy assistants having enlisted for active service, the task of coping with dispensing work at rush hours has become a real difficulty. It is customary to dispense prescriptions in the order received over the counter, but it may soon be necessary for a chemist to exercise some discretion about which prescriptions, in his opinion, call for prior attention.” Mr Nordmeyer said the public could assist by leaving their prescriptions as early as possible and particularly where it was a case of repeating a prescription. If people would ring their chemists and notify them of their intention to call, say, on the following day for nonurgent prescriptions it would give the chemists an opportunity to spread their work over the slack period. The Minister said he felt sure that it was only necessary to draw attention to the position to secure the ready co-operation of the public.