I have a regular Monday-shift every fortnight for a pharmacy in Crawley, near Gatwick Airport and I was recently asked to cover a full two weeks whilst the regular pharmacist took her holiday.

On my Monday shifts, it was standard practice that each morning we would be sent between 15 and 25 private prescriptions, ranging between 30 and 50 items, from the immigration holding department within Gatwick Airport’s perimeter border. These prescriptions would be for the illegal immigrants waiting to be deported back to their own countries. After working for two full weeks, I realised that this was not a weekly thing as I’d assumed, but this amount of prescriptions were sent daily.


The prescriptions not only included various medication – from blood pressure to diabetes tablets – but other common items. These included moisturisers such as 500g tubs of Diprobase and E45, as well as Kalms tablets, Nytol, antidepressants and even Zineryt. Why these people need to have Zineryt prescribed? - Heaven-forbid someone to have spots or dry skin before they are deported.

I just think it’s totally ridiculous that tax-payers’ money is being spent so frivolously when the nation is in debt. It also seems it would cost more than it should (even with the agreed discounts) since they are all private prescriptions, and as the Government is ultimately paying for it, why not just put it on NHS prescriptions and have themselves save some money?

Well, besides the huge uproar amongst tax-payers if we found out the NHS (tax-payers) were footing the bill for those illegally trying to enter or stay in the UK, I guess it's because they aren't eligible to be 'exempt'; but if the Government is paying for it anyway, it just seems they would prefer to pay more just to be able to claim the 'NHS' is not paying for it.


Personally I think it’s a mockery and judging by some of the ‘essential’ prescription items I’ve dispensed, I think it takes the Mick.

Let’s see if this new coalition Government put a stop to all of it. But am I being too harsh or do others agree with me?