THOUSANDS of patients at a brand new medical centre in Worcester are having to travel to get their prescriptions - despite there being a pharmacy next door.

Health chiefs have refused to grant Murrays Healthcare Pharmacy - which opened last week along with the £3m Elbury Moor Medical Centre in Fairfield Close, Brickfields - a licence to dispense prescriptions.

Now more than 500 angry customers have signed a petition in a bid to get South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust to change its mind.

Sheila Bowcott said she could not believe the situation when she went in there to order medication this week.

"Luckily I was able to be driven to another pharmacy but what about elderly people who have to walk or get public transport?" the 70-year-old, from Droitwich, said.

Dan Attry, pharmacy superintendent for Murrays Healthcare, said the PCT's decision was based on the fact it believed another pharmacy in the city was 'not necessary'.

"The relocation of the surgery has brought 12,000 patients with it," he said.

"The nearest pharmacy is just under a mile away and is already busy. We have appealed against the decision once and the PCT's decision was upheld, but we will keep appealing.

"We have been really heartened by the support."

Mr Attry added that the pharmacy had a 'remedying' situation in place where prescriptions could be faxed through to other branches in the city.

"The medication can then be brought back here for patients to pick up or be delivered free of charge," he said. "But it's not ideal."

A spokesman for the PCT confirmed the licence application was refused because there was already adequate provision in the area.