How naive I was....

A couple of days ago I posted about the difficulties of getting a prescription for some new medication I am supposed to take to prevent me going blind.  I somehow thought, once I had the prescription, that my problems would be over.  In fact, they are just starting.

I waited a few days, then rang the pharmacy to check the tablets were in stock.  'Erm...some of them,' they said.
'How many?'
'Thirty six.'  Okay, I thought, that's 18 days supply.  I can wait and then someone can pick up the whole prescription when the rest come in. 
'When are the rest due?'
'We don't know.  The suppliers are out of stock.  They can't get them.'
I took a deep breath.  Counted to ten.  'So what happens now.'
'Well, you've got enough to be going on with...'
True.  But I don't want to take tablets knowing I am going to run out entirely.  That opens a whole can of worms and a lot of other problems. 
'Well what can be done to solve this problem?' I asked, trying to be helpful. 
'We could order a few months supply next time, if you're going to be on them a while, only we don't like to do that...'
'Whyever not?'
'Because they're expensive.'

And this is the crux, ladies and gentlemen.  Expense.  Never mind that eyesight is one of the most precious things we can have.  Never mind that the doctor is happy to prescribe it.  The pharmacy (the pharmacy!!!) are not happy about ordering it in.  Because it's expensive.

So now, on top of worrying about the government's welfare cuts, even the local pharmacy is deciding that those who are ill are somehow 'unworthy'.

Can't they see?  The only reason they are there, in our little high street, is because people who are sick/ill/disabled need to have their prescriptions filled.  Otherwise we'd all go to Superdrug instead. 

If they start making judgements like this, then some of the first people to lose their jobs look likely to be the bloody pharmacists!