On an appointment at one of the pharmacies at Mosta I was charged €80 for the services of a consultant including a clinic fee.

Assuming the going rate of a consultant is €60, the charge for the clinic may be €20.

What clinic?

That is not a clinic, it is just a normal waiting room the likes of which one finds at pharmacies all around the island.

We know what a clinic looks like, with reception desks, nurses, operating rooms and all the equipment necessary for various types of operations.

The clinic I am talking about here is just a sign on the wall, nothing else.

I have been to many pharmacies and they do charge a fee, perhaps €2 or €5 at the most for occupying a seat (if not fully occupied), but not €20.

This is disgusting, and what’s more I would not have been given a receipt by the woman at the desk had I not requested it.

Shame, this is robbery in the true sense, and I wonder whether this could be a case for investigation by the consumer affairs authorities.