A rallying cry has been sent out to residents as fears grow over the future of a village dispensary.

A Government white paper has outlined an overhaul of GP dispensaries.

At the moment Farningham and Eynsford residents live more than a mile from their nearest chemist and use the Braeside Surgery GP dispensary, at Farningham.

But under new proposals the distance between dispensaries could be extended to two miles and could mean the Gore Hill dispensary is closed and residents told to travel to Swanley.

Audrey Gee, of Pollyhaugh,a former councillor and who used to be a member of Darent Valley's patient forum said: “At the moment we see the doctor and then pick up our drugs straight away at the dispensary by the exit. It’s a super service and the surgery and the dispensary are always very busy.”

Mrs Gee wants residents to sign a petition and write to Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon and the Primary Care Trust in opposition.

West Kent Primary Care Trust has said the paper is in its very early stages.

But Mr Fallon said: “This is extremely serious. The proposals at the moment do not take sufficient account of the role of the public transport links and that’s the problem. People who rely on these services are often elderly and find it difficult to get connecting buses to Swanley.”

For the full story see this week's Swanley Messenger