Health chiefs plan for temporary closure of Brighton pharmacy
Plans for a Brighton pharmacy to move into new premises near by have fallen through.
But health chiefs say that steps have been taken to help patients when Boots closes its London Road branch on Friday 20 September.
The pharmacy chain has asked for six months to find somewhere else as the current store – at 119-120 London Road – is to be demolished and replaced by student flats.
Details were shared with the Brighton and Hove Health and Wellbeing Board yesterday (Tuesday 10 September) at Hove Town Hall.
The board was told: “The temporary closure of London Road Boots will create a period of inconvenience for patients (but) it is not considered to create a significant gap in services.
“This is because there are other pharmacies near by that can provide the specialist services currently provided by Boots, largely within the same opening hours and with disabled access.
“The main negative impact could be a delay in the dispensing of medicines at other pharmacies due to the increased demand.
“However, this may not happen as the local pharmacies have been asked to implement contingency plans to cover any increased business.
“This may be a particular issue for Well Pharmacy due to its close proximity to Boots in Oxford Street.”
The Well Pharmacy, in Oxford Street, is opposite St Peter’s Medical Centre which recently took on more patients after merging with the North Laine Medical Centre.
A report to the board said: “We have been informed that Boots is currently exploring a number of options for alternative premises and that they will continue to work closely with NHS England as a matter of the utmost urgency until there is clarity about the situation.
“To mitigate the impact of the closure of the current store and suspension of the contract, Boots have developed a closure plan and patients have been advised since the last few weeks in August that the store will be closing on (Friday) 20 September.
“Patients have been contacted with respect to uncollected medicines and medicines the pharmacy in the first instance was not able to supply but had ordered.
“Should these not be collected they will be transferred to a nearby Boots pharmacy (details of where yet to be confirmed).
“Patients that visit the pharmacy are being advised of the closure and are invited to change their nomination with Boots for where they would like to collect their medicines from in the future.
“Any prescriptions that are not collected before closure will remain within the patient’s electronic record within the NHS system so that it can be dispensed by another pharmacy.”
Boots has also contacted local doctors’ surgeries to update them on the change of plans, the board was told.
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Surely it is better for people to support a nearby chemist, on Oxford Street, than go to a chain such as Boot’s? It looks to me in Hove and Brighton as if there is a distinct move to support independent shops rather than chains of questionable ownership. If chain stores close down, then we are rid of such frightful people as Philip Green: farewell to him and his ilk, they bring nothing to life as we know it. Who is pining for British Home Stores, Woolworth’s, Fine Fare, Wavy Line, and so on?