Walgreens
710 E Broadway South Boston, MA 02127
November 10, 2022
Re: Arbitrary closings of the pharmacy within Walgreens
Dear South Boston Walgreens:
In recent weeks, I have heard from residents who were unable to fill their prescriptions at the South Boston Walgreens due to the pharmacy closing for the day without prior notice- most recently in the early afternoon and the remainder of the day on Thursday, October 27th. This is concerning to me as both the Boston City Council President and the District 2 Councilor representing this neighborhood, as these unannounced closings of the pharmacy negatively impact my constituents who are reliant on Walgreens for their medications. In the interest of my constituents’ health and well-being, I respectfully request that you look to take any steps or action necessary to address this issue and prevent future unannounced closings of the pharmacy.
Constituents have told me that when they went to Walgreens to drop off or pick up their prescriptions, they found the pharmacy closed, even when it was within the opening hours as advertised online. This especially impacts those who need medication urgently on the same day after a medical procedure or appointment, including our seniors and persons with disabilities who make the trip to Walgreens by walking or taking public transportation, only to see that it’s closed.
In addition, neighbors and customers informed me of the unnecessary difficulties they encountered trying to pick up a prescription medication elsewhere after the prescription had already sent to Walgreens. They were forced to navigate the convoluted process of speaking to their medical provider to send elsewhere, another pharmacy that could not fill all their prescriptions with the current ones already sent to Walgreens, and their health insurance companies to request an override to fulfill urgently needed medications.
Closing the pharmacy arbitrarily and without prior notice is not only inconvenient to some, but can pose health risks if the customers could not pick up their prescription that they urgently need because the pharmacy is closed. It is therefore important for Walgreens to address this, whether by increasing staffing levels and hiring more pharmacists, providing better notice about pharmacy hours, or other ways to ensure that customers can pick up their prescriptions elsewhere if the pharmacy is closed. I hope that Walgreens will do what is in the best interest for their customers and our community, and work to provide reliable pharmacy services to South Boston.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 617-635-3203 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Ed Flynn Boston City Council President District 2
Maureen Dahill is the editor of Caught in Southie and a lifelong resident of South Boston sometimes mistaken for a yuppie. Co-host of Caught Up, storyteller, lover of red wine and binge watching TV series. Mrs. Peter G. Follow her @MaureenCaught.
Although I’m not a resident of Southie, I’m of the opinion that the closing of the Walgreen drugstore without notifying people who buy their prescriptions or whatever at that drugstore is dangerously irresponsible and could set a rather dangerous precedent, if one gets the drift. For people who take any kind of prescribed medication on a regular, everyday ongoing basis, or iff they need their prescription for an illness, or even getting something that they want, the Walgreens drug store not only should’ve notified people of the early closure, but they should’ve recommended another Walgreens that’s reasonably close by where people could get their prescriptions or whatever filled.
Leaving people in the lurch like that is insensensitive–and irresponsible, to boot!
No mention of running out of Mother’s Day cards every year?
We are customers of Walgreens. Mitt and Ahdo they spend more time helping customers with their needs.. .. They help us older folks who have prescriptions that are life saving. Walgreens should hire more people like them. They respond to all our requirements to keep customers pleasantly surprised to care about South Boston residents and their need to keep their prescriptions on time and ready. Not all people have cars to go to other pharmacies and parking on Broadway is a nightmare. You should not close your doors. Please hire more people like Mitt they take care of our needs.
l do not live South Boston , l have family members does live there. l understand what everybody is saying, but Walgreens closings there store’s not just in South Boston it’s every aware for example: Dorchester, Roxbury, Roslindale, Hype Park, Quincy, other places too.
Walgreens sold there company the l can’t pronounce, they are one’s taken over Walgreens. Everyone looking for other pharmacy near by, lot people switch over to CVS and other pharmacy in order for them too received there prescription.
Lot of companies took big hit when COVID-19 hit in USA, and lot people had die from it. Now people are so scary catch COVID-19 again or Monkeypox, they don’t want to work. This just happened overnight this reality. All big City Council’s from different Districts need step up to plate, do job they elected. City Council’s talk good game, you can never when person or communities needs them. They only come out make names for themselves and get picture’s taking for newspaper and be on tv.
You City Council’s Full BS, what ever!!!
That’s not good, either.
…just shaking in their boots, Ed.
I wish you spoke up like this when you were accused of being a racist on the Chambers floor by the wife of a convicted murderer/stepmother of a recently-arrested gunsel.
Do better.