Elderly patients are being denied a new pharmacy in their village after the NHS deemed it to be unnecessary.

Lloyds pharmacy, the only chemist in Ashtead Village, closed down in February, forcing patients to travel to other dispensaries in Craddocks Parade and Barnett Wood Lane for their medicines.

But an application to open a new pharmacy in exactly the same spot in The Street by Abdool Kureeman, owner of Ashtead’s Buckley Pharmacy, was this week refused by the NHS - leaving residents, councillors and local MP Chris Grayling up in arms.

Mr Kureeman said he is appealing the decision as it was based on an out-of date assessment of the pharmaceutical needs of Ashtead Village – which NHS Surrey denies.

The 52-year-old said: "My application was to replace an existing pharmacy, which the NHS decided was not ‘necessary or expedient’.

"But it recognised the document used to make the decision was the one in place prior to the closure of Lloyds pharmacy which happened before I made my application.

"There has been a pharmacy in the village serving the community for more than 50 years and it has vanished overnight.

"I hope the NHS will reconsider and look at my application as it should have done in the first place."

Mr Kureeman, a pharmacist of 15 years, said he is simply trying to fulfil a pharmaceutical needs gap in the Village.

He added: "It is not just about getting prescriptions, but about people’s independence in being able to walk to their pharmacy and talk to their pharmacist.

"The elderly and frail find it very distressing as a pharmacy is a port of call for medicines but also a range of other services, provided through pharmacists, which help patients to comply with their medicines."

A spokeswoman for NHS Surrey denied that the application was assessed using an out-of-date document.

She said: “The pharmaceutical needs assessment document looks at the needs, gaps and further services required in Surrey.

"NHS Surrey is required to update the document every three years and it is also refreshed regularly to take into account of any changes.

“But the document is one of many reference documents used by a pharmacy panel to make the decision.

“The panel have their own local knowledge on pharmaceutical provision in Surrey so would be aware of any recent changes and this would have included the closing of the Lloyds pharmacy which would have been taken into consideration.

“If the applicant does not feel the decision was right there is an independent appeals process available to him.”

Kevin Solomons, head of medicines management at NHS Surrey, said he was sorry if people are "disappointed" with the decision, but that it was made following a national process set out by the Department of Health.

He said: "We make decisions based on whether or not applications meet the necessary criteria and unfortunately this means sometimes applications will be unsuccessful.

"Applications for new pharmacies must undergo a ‘control of entry test’, where it will be assessed against a range of factors, including whether there are other pharmacies nearby.

"If the application does not pass this test, under the national regulations, the local NHS has no option but to refuse the application."

MP for Epsom and Ewell, Chris Grayling, said he has written to the primary care support service to ask for a reconsideration of the decision.

He said: "I am astonished by the refusal.

"If Ashtead could support three pharmacies until a couple of months ago, why cannot it do so now, and why is it necessary to restrict competition between the two existing providers in Ashtead?"

Ashtead’s county councillor Chris Townsend agreed, saying he is being contacted by many worried residents each day.

He said: "I was in favour of Abdool’s application - he is well-regarded and a pillar of the community.

"I find the decision staggering, absolutely staggering.

"It was made based on an assessment of the pharmaceutical needs of Ashtead two years’ ago when the Lloyds pharmacy was still in The Street.

"The population in the village covers a considerable number of elderly people and I have heard stories of elderly women getting into taxis to visit the pharmacy in Craddocks Parade.

"I just find it a disgrace. The village definitely needs another pharmacy and I hope common sense prevails."

He added that he had spoken to Akeem Ali, the new director of public health for Surrey County Council, who has said that he will look into the matter, but that a final decision would be made by the NHS appeals tribunal in Leeds.

Mr Kureeman said he has been overwhelmed by the support received from "horrified residents who know what is good for the village", including its campaigning group, SAVE which has launched a campaign to reverse the decision.

Gillian Russell, SAVE spokeswoman, said: "Abdool has always been a very committed member of SAVE, so now it is great to be able to support him back."

The right to appeal the decision is open to anyone until June 28.

Email angela.ruske2@nhs.net or write to: Angela Ruske, Pharmaceutical Administrator, Primary Care Support Service. 187 Ewell Road, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 6AU.

For details of the Save Our Pharmacy campaign visit www.SaveAshtead.co.uk