Social media debate over pharmacist consultations and queues in Latvian pharmacies
A woman complained on the Threads platform that customers who talk at length with a pharmacist hold up the queue. Opinions in the discussion were split, while the head of the Latvian Pharmacists' Association says consultations need time and pharmacies need enough staff.
A debate has unfolded on the social media platform Threads in Latvia over whether long consultations between a pharmacist and a single customer are justified when others are waiting in line. The discussion was started by a user named Inga, who voiced frustration: in her view, people should first see a doctor rather than question the pharmacist, and she says this leaves her standing in a queue for half an hour.
Opinions are divided
Some participants disagreed. Kaspars noted that people are in fact encouraged to go to a pharmacy first and to see a doctor only if the pharmacist cannot help. He argued that doctors are overloaded and that not every cold requires a visit, since a pharmacist can help with over-the-counter medicines. Another woman wrote that a pharmacist is not merely a seller of medicines. Baiba pointed out that a pharmacy queue will always be shorter than one at a doctor's office, while Monta stressed that a pharmacy is a healthcare institution and a pharmacist's core duty is to advise on the use of medicines.
Some users nevertheless backed the original poster. Ilona wrote that she is irritated by customers who use pharmacies as free family-doctor or even psychotherapy services, reciting the illness history of their entire family.
The industry view
Agnese Ritene, head of the Latvian Pharmacists' Association, said earlier on the TV24 programme "Dr. Apinis" that running a pharmacy requires considerable resources, and that one of the key factors is the specialists who serve customers. According to her, service should be smooth, but enough time must be given to talking with a patient. A situation where only one specialist works and a very long queue forms would be unacceptable; it would also make confidentiality harder to ensure.
Ritene explained that a pharmacy must keep medicine stocks, manage premises and ensure specialists are available. Pharmacists can still be recruited in larger cities, but it is harder in smaller towns. She also stressed that pharmacy staff should be well paid in order to motivate young people to study pharmacy.
