A planning application has been submitted to expand the medical care offered at Seafield Pharmacy in Ayr’s Blackburn Drive.
Proposals are in place for the pharmacy, which is combined with a Post Office and General Store, to make alterations, extend their shop and change the use of a flat above the property.
The aim is to improve storage and help offer drop-in clinics for the likes of podiatry patients, administer flu vaccinations and give patients more privacy- with expanded consultation rooms.
In a supporting statement, Seafield Pharmacy/Seafield Stores said their application is being prompted by more demand for medical services.
They said: “Seafield pharmacy has been trading now since 2012.
“At the time the business was set up the space was adequate as it was a new business within a busy shop.
“However, since the pharmacy opened in 2012 the business has grown steadily, caring for the needs of the Seafield community and people outwith the area.
“This growth by demand means that the space within the pharmacy and arrangements within the shop are no longer adequate. There is a need for storage, for increased privacy, for staff welfare areas and space to provide additional healthcare services to the Seafield community.
“The pharmacy’s existing one consultation room is small and must be kept free for patients requiring privacy or further consultation with the pharmacist.
“The creation of a second consultation room would mean various clinics and drop-in services such a flu vaccination, podiatrist clinics and travel vaccinations could be offered to customers, some of whom find travel hard or distressing.”
The applicants want to reinstate the original door into the shop to allow customers a “higher level of privacy” because at the moment, the queueing system within the shop means there is potential for patient privacy to be “compromised.”
The statement goes on: “The entrance currently holds an ATM which demand for has dropped due to people using the post office to withdraw cash and the world going cashless.
“The intention is people could still access the pharmacy via the shop if they so wished with the creation of a door on the internal wall partition.”
The plan also involves using the existing flat above, so that adequate storage levels can be fulfilled and allow staff’s welfare needs to be “more adequately met” and improved by giving them a “proper rest area” and toilet facilities.
The application is on South Ayrshire Council’s online planning portal and is listed as ‘pending consideration.’
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