PHARMACISTS say a council is trying to force pensioners to join a new scheme for the collection of medical prescriptions.

Pharmacists in the Durham area have hit out at plans by the city council's City Care warden service to deal with just one firm rather go to pensioners' local pharmacists.

At the moment, wardens pick up medicine for City Care pensioners at shops throughout the city.

But City Care is trying to introduce a new system, as a three-month experiment, in which all prescriptions will go to a national chain's outlet at Brandon.

The firm will make collections and deliveries rather than wardens.

One pharmacist, who asked not to be named, said: "City Care are asking their clients to sign a letter saying that they will get their prescriptions from a certain chemist.

"Customers of ours, and other pharmacists, say that people are being forced into doing it.

"City Care have lost four operatives and this is their way to save time or money.

"The new system was supposed to start on June 26 and then it was supposedly suspended. But we are still getting complaints about it.

"Some patients have been told that if they don't sign they won't get any medication. The elderly are vulnerable and won't stick up for themselves."

A city council spokeswoman said the scheme had been suspended after complaints from pharmacists, and now all firms were being asked if they were interested in taking part.

"We deal with between 500 and 700 prescriptions. If they didn't have to make deliveries and collections, City Care mobile wardens would be able to spend more time with the people."

She said pensioners were being asked if they wanted to sign up for the scheme. "We are just assessing what demand there is. It is genuinely trying to find out what people want."