A VILLAGE pharmacist’s battle to stay in business continues next month when she attends another appeal panel hearing.

The panel will decide whether Pamela Brompton, who runs the pharmacy at Upper Poppleton, near York, has complied with conditions imposed on her last year at a previous hearing.

If the panel, which is part of the independent Family Health Service Appeals Authority, finds she has failed to comply, it will consider removing her from the pharmaceutical list.

Ms Brompton has been embroiled in a lengthy wrangle with the former North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT), now known as NHS North Yorkshire and York.

Ms Brompton has claimed previously that the trust had engaged in a “malevolent campaign of persecution and intimidation” against her.

But the trust said it had investigated – as was its statutory duty – after a number of concerns had been raised regarding her professional conduct, and a panel had concluded that her view had not been “objectively well founded” and the concerns should be upheld.

The Press reported last summer how scores of villagers were supporting Ms Brompton’s bid to remain their pharmacist, with many saying she ran the pharmacy to the highest professional standards.

A review panel hearing last November said she must attend an occupational health assessment with an independent consultant physician. Ms Brompton said she would tell next month’s hearing she had attended two appointments with the doctor.

She said a number of villagers had asked her if they could attend the hearing and had been very disappointed to hear they would not be allowed.

Janet Probert, chair of the panel, said in a letter to Ms Brompton that the proceedings were not required by regulation to be held in public.