High street pharmacy giant Boots permanently shut down two more branches on Saturday (March 16) as it moves forward with its plan to close 300 stores.
The Wrightson House branch at the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Teesside and the Aslake Close pharmacy in Sprowston were closed for good, according to BirminghamLive.
The pharmacy giant and chemist announced that all their prescriptions from its branch in Sprowston will be moved to Lawson Road Health Centre, with the nearest
Boots branches located in London Street and Aylsham Road.
The closure of the branch at the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Teesside was confirmed to the public with a notice placed in the shop window, informing customers
about nearby Boots stores to collect their prescriptions.
The notice reads: "We are closing. This store will close, on March 16, 2024. Your nearest store for collecting prescriptions will be Thornaby Health Centre,
Trenchard Avenue, TS17 OEE. Other stores nearby are: 12-14 High Street, Teesside Retail Park, Norton, TS20 1DN 21B Goodwood Square, TSI7 7BW."
Boots customers were left disappointed as the retail giant closed three more branches, two in Kent and one in Glasgow.
On Sunday 21 January, Boots' branches in Cliftonville and Biggin Hill were closed, forcing locals to find an alternative pharmacy, Express.co.uk reported.
Cliftonville residents have taken to social media to express their disappointment over the closure of their local pharmacy on Northdown Road.
Even though there is another Boots branch in Margate, they said that Cliftonville branch is "much more accessible, with parking available right outside, on
the bus route and surrounded by a residential area within easy walking distance."
One resident has branded the retailer's decision as "crazy", as per the news portal.
Boots is reportedly closing another branch in Watton, Norfolk from January, after shutting its High Street branch in Gorleston last month.
The Boots store would be one of the four pharmacies expected to be closed next year in the county, which saw closures of six pharmacies in recent months,
according to a BBC report.
However, the retailer hasn't made any announcement regarding the Watton closure or commented on its decision to shut its Gorleston branch.
If the Boots' branch in Watton is closed, the town will be left with only one pharmacy to cater to the healthcare needs of a population of about 12,000, and
this is the concern people in the area have expressed.
Conservative councillor Tina Kiddell told BBC: "I do worry how they are going to cope, they're already incredibly overwhelmed now."
Lloyds Pharmacy announced the withdrawal of pharmacy services from all Sainsbury's stores over mounting "industry pressures" faced by the community pharmacies.
The company had 77 branches at the beginning of this year - out of which five branches closed their doors and transferred the ownership of the remaining 72 to others.
It was announced in June this year that Lloyds Pharmacy branches in Sainsbury's will close its operation throughout 2023.
The following decision came after "changing market conditions" put 2,000 jobs on the line across the UK.
Four Lloyds Pharmacies inside Wales Sainsbury's stores closed within days of the announcement and one in the Roath suburb of Cardiff as well.
The remaining 72 changed hands as confirmed by the figures obtained by WalesOnline on 5 October.
Lloyds Pharmacy's closure of all its 1,300 branches will wake-up the ministers and NHS officials to the reality of community pharmacy sector in England has
reached crisis point, expressed Nigel Swift Managing Director of Rowlands pharmacy and Deputy Managing Director of PHOENIX UK.
On Friday, The SUN reported that the UK's second largest pharmacy provider - is allegedly in the process of selling its entire estate of 1300 branches. Lloyds
Pharmacy will no longer be a High Street presence following its decision to put all its pharmacy branches at the risk of closure. In January it has announced to
close its 237 Sainsbury-based pharmacies.
Nigel highlighted the fact that community pharmacy is struggling due to insufficient government funding and immense pressures on GPs and A&E departments - an ongoing
issue which poses a very real threat to the sector.
Commenting on the announcement, he said: "It's not just Lloyds - an independent analysis by Ernst & Young estimated that 75% of community pharmacies will be in
financial distress in the coming years. £750 million has been taken out of the English contract due to inflation since it began."
Two pharmacies in Rotherham are set to merge into one, if plans are approved by NHS England.
Weldricks Pharmacy has applied to merge its two Swinton branches, on Church Street and the Crown Street Surgery.
If approved, the branch on Church Street will be modernised, and additional consulting rooms will be added, while the Crown Street site will be closed.
Rotherham Met Borough Council's health and wellbeing board are set to make a representation supporting the plans, and say that analysis by public health "outlines
the very minimal impact that this change will have in terms of pharmacy access in the borough based on the service offer, opening hours and walking times to this
branch and the main pharmacy."
They say the current opening hours will remain the same, and there will be no disruption to services during the consolidation.
A statement from Weldricks adds that the decision to merge is down to funding cuts, and the company could go out of business if operating costs are not reduced -
'despite having been a local, family-owned business for almost 100 years'.
Boots has shut down three more stores, as it moves forward with its plan to close 300 stores across the UK over the next 12 months.
On Saturday (18 November), Boots closed its branches in Mudge Way, Plymouth; Mount Pleasant Road, Exeter; and Low Moor Road, Kirkby, Ashfield.
The NHS issued a memo to shoppers and patients who use the Plymouth branch, which is located next to Plympton Health Centre, to inform them that "you will
need to find and nominate another pharmacy to dispense your prescriptions going forward."
Patients can set their nomination by contacting their new pharmacy and requesting "they do this for you."
According to DevonLive, a note was attached to the Mount Pleasant pharmacy door that read: "Boots Mount Pleasant Store will close on Saturday, November 18 2023.
Following a period of prolonged uncertainty, the Competition and Markets Authority has given its approval to Bestway Healthcare's acquisition of Lexon
UK and Asurex. The company expects the transactions to be finalised in the upcoming months.
In April, Bestway, the owner of Well Pharmacy, acquired Asurex Limited and Lexon UK Holdings, along with the 44-community pharmacy chain Norchem Group, known as
Knights Pharmacy. However, in June, the CMA raised competition-related concerns about the transaction, citing worries that the acquisition could lead to a
significant decrease in competition among retail pharmacies across 12 areas in Liverpool and the northeastern region of England.
The CMA had asked undertakings from Bestway Healthcare due to competition concerns affecting specific branches of Knights Pharmacy within the acquisition. In
July, the CMA indicated its readiness to approve the deal, contingent upon Bestway's completion of the required divestments.
According to Bestway Healthcare, This matter has been successfully resolved, as Bestway Healthcare has consented to the sale of seven pharmacies in Liverpool and
the northeastern region of England. "The impacted Well pharmacies are situated in Seaham, Bishop Auckland, Kenton, High Howden, Stockton, Moreton, and Pensby.
Buyers for all seven branches have been identified and contracts have been signed."
Phoenix UK has partnered with 2San Global Ltd, a diagnostic and digital tools company, to supply home testing kits to its 5,200 independent pharmacy members
through Numark and selected Rowlands Pharmacy branches nationwide. Both Numark and Rowlands Pharmacy are owned by Phoenix.
Numark will be the first UK wholesaler to supply 2San's home tests, granting members swift access to these screening products for essential health insights in
minutes, all at reasonable prices, the company said in a statement.
Numark will offer 10 essential tests to its 5,200 independent pharmacy members from August, while Rowlands Pharmacy will provide a selection of tests in over
380 branches beginning September. This collaboration aligns with Phoenix's goal of improving diagnostic accessibility and easing strain on the NHS.
Boots has welcomed job applications from LloydsPharmacy staff impacted by the news of closure of all its branches located in Sainsbury's before the end of 2023.
The company is recruiting for more than 1,500 pharmacy roles nationwide. Vacancies span pharmacy roles at all levels - from Pharmacy Advisors (Dispensers) and
Trainee Pharmacists to experienced Pharmacists looking to develop their careers.
Sebastian James, Managing Director of Boots UK & ROI, said: "Pharmacies deliver vital healthcare in the heart of communities. News of the closure of LloydsPharmacy
branches within Sainsbury's stores will no doubt have an impact on many talented pharmacists as well as their patients.
"We have many roles available at Boots and welcome applications from LloydsPharmacy employees affected by the closures. Patients who are worried about their future
pharmacy provision can check our store locator online to find out where their nearest Boots store is - our pharmacy team members are ready to help."
There are over 2,200 Boots stores across the UK and 85% of the population live within 10 minutes of a Boots store.
The pharmacy bodies have expressed a deep concern over Lloyds Pharmacy's announcement on plans to close all pharmacy branches located in Sainsbury's before
the end of 2023.
Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) Chief Executive Janet Morrison said: "This significant shrinkage by the second largest pharmacy chain is an
extremely worrying development and one of the clearest signals yet of just how much all community pharmacies are struggling to make ends meet. We know that many
are at breaking point."
She added: "We understand that LloydsPharmacy will be in touch directly with affected staff and patients at this difficult time. As these pharmacies close, other
pharmacies locally will be braced for even more pressures as they try to cope with increased demand."
"The announcement by LloydsPharmacy will be of concern to staff, patients, the public and the community pharmacy sector alike," Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive
of the Company Chemists' Association (CCA).
Pharmacists, and other employees, working at pharmacies owned and operated by LloydsPharmacy in Sainsbury's have been told that the group of more than 200 pharmacies
will be closed this year as LloydsPharmacy will be ending their relationship with the supermarket chain.
"Discussions must involve the government on behalf of NHS Scotland, CPS on behalf of the owners, and the PDA as the pharmacists' representative," it said.
The association believes that there is a need for discussion and decision-making that listens to and balances the rights and responsibilities of both employers
and workers, to generate benefits for individuals, organisations, and society.
It added: "Even though Scotland provides the most generous community pharmacy settlement in the UK, recent reports suggest it is not enough for pharmacy owners
with CPS's rejection of the latest funding proposal in May. Though the Scottish government found an extra £20M to ease pressures related to medicines price
increases, an overall agreement has still not been reached."
"The UK-wide chains may be doing less well in the parts of their networks covered by the Westminster government's contract, but the taxpayers and government of
Scotland need to be given reassurance that they are in no way subsidising funding shortfalls in England's pharmacy contract."
Recently, when LloydsPharmacy's Scotland branches recently came on the market, they appear to have been sold exclusively to existing contractors, including the
UK-wide multiple, Rowlands Pharmacy, who have acquired 30 of them. Other small and medium-sized Scottish pharmacy chains have apparently been able to double in
size overnight by acquiring branches.
The pharmacy chain has already announced plans to permanently close hundreds of its branches across the UK to consolidate its portfolio of 2,200 stores to 1,900.
Two of its branches in North Wales will be closed next year, with its site in Rhos on Sea set to close its doors in March 2024 and the shop in Colywn Bay the
following month.
In a statement obtained by The Sun, Clwyd West MP David Jones has branded the closures "hugely bad news for the local community".
He added that it is not "a case of simple shop closures," but "another body blow for the local retail economy."
The Station Road shopping centre, where the Colwyn Bay store is located, has already seen the closure of several other prominent stores, including WHSmith, the MP
stated.
The closure of two Boots stores will leave many people "extremely worried as to how they will be able to obtain essential medicines," he added.
A Boots UK branch store in Hinckley town centre closed 'until further notice' as there was 'no pharmacist available' to work on Monday (May 9).
A local news report said: "The sign on the door reads: "Unfortunately, we are unable to open until further notice. We are working hard to get this rectified.
"We apologise for the inconvenience. Hearing care appointments please wait here to be greeted.""
LeicestershireLive reported a patient saying that their appointment for a hearing aid check had been postponed until Tuesday.
It added: "The customer was surprised to be told by staff that the store had to close as there was no pharmacist available."
Paydens Pharmacy Group, one of the first multiple pharmacies to adopt hub and spoke model last year, revealed that the move has resulted in significant time
savings in store.
Centralising dispensing of repeat prescriptions relieves pressure in pharmacy branches and releases time to deliver revenue generating services, the group said.
The group created a hub in Maidstone, Kent, to service its highest dispensing branches. The hub uses Centred Solution's FLOWRx Hub Auto to dispense their original
pack repeat prescriptions. The group put in the first FLOWRx Hub production line in spring 2022 and then added in a second line in the autumn as they increased
production and moved more stores to the hub and spoke model.
The innovative solution interfaces with EMIS PMR, Omnicell's Robotic Dispensing System and Universal Logistics Management software as well as Victoria OS ordering
software.
The hub operation runs during the day Monday to Friday and produces an average of 33,289 packs per week for just under 9,000 patients, leaving plenty of scope to
ramp up. The hub is currently dispensing 79.7% of repeat prescription original packs requested by the group's busiest stores.
Independent pharmacy chain, Peak Pharmacy, has sold two of its smaller branches - one in Little Eaton, Derbyshire, and the other in Burton-on-Trent,
Staffordshire.
Founded in 1981 by Peter and Jane Cattee, Peak Pharmacy has over 150 pharmacies across the UK.
The pair of Midlands pharmacies dispense an average of circa 2,800 items per month, according to specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, which
announced the sale.
The pharmacy in Burton-on-Trent has been acquired by a local first-time buyer, Mohammed Wasim Gul, while the pharmacy in Little Eaton has been purchased by
Amul Telrandhe, who is also the owner of Derwent Pharmacy in Derby.
Over a century-year-old Boots pharmacy in St James's Street, Brighton shut its doors permanently on Saturday (20 January) leaving the communities disappointed.
The branch in Kemp Town, which was opened to the public for the first time in 1914, was supposed to close on November 19 last year but continued trading into
the new year, The Argus reported.
Locals are not happy with the retailer's decision to close the store as some say it used to be "always busy with prescriptions and people buying things."
Another person recalled that Boots had earlier closed two pharmacies, one on Lewes Road, Brighton, and another on Church Road, Hove.
The American-owned health and wellbeing chain is in the process of closing more UK branches in the coming months as it's targeting to reduce its store portfolio
to 1,900 from 2,200.
Well Pharmacy is offering free blood pressure checks in all its branches across England to raise awareness of the dangers posed by hypertension.
The leading independent pharmacy chain is inviting people to #thebigsqueeze in conjunction with May Measurement Month and World Hypertension Day (May 17) by
inviting them to get a free blood pressure check and to learn more on the importance of understanding hypertension.
George Sandhu, deputy superintendent pharmacist at Well Pharmacy said: "May Measurement Month is a global blood pressure screening awareness campaign. The aim is
to raise awareness of the dangers posed by elevated BP and hypertension. May 17 is World Hypertension Day, and a perfect time to take control and get your blood
pressure checked.
"We are delighted to be supporting this campaign. Hypertension (more commonly known as high blood pressure) can cause a range of health issues. Worryingly, it often
comes with no symptoms, which is why it is vital to know if your blood pressure is higher people don't have any symptoms of high blood pressure so having their blood
pressure checked is the only way to find out.
"People can come into any of our Well Pharmacies across England and have their blood pressure checked. The theme for 2023 is Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately,
Control It, Live Longer - and knowing your number is one of the most important things people can do.
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