Dozens of high street pharmacies have been saved from closure after a new deal was agreed to keep vital services running in towns across the country. Allied Pharmacies has confirmed it will take over the running of 60 high street branches, helping to protect jobs and ensure local communities continue to have access to essential healthcare.
The company said its “immediate priority” is to reopen pharmacies that were closed or struggling, and to restore services to the areas that rely on them most. Many of the affected locations had reportedly faced long periods of disruption in recent months, with closures linked to staffing shortages and low stock levels.
The 60 pharmacies were previously operated by Jhoots, a chain with around 150 branches across the UK. Several had already closed, and others were facing an uncertain future.
Some branches are thought to have shut suddenly, leaving locals without access to prescriptions, consultations and other support.
In a statement, Allied Pharmacies said: “We recognise the fundamental role that community pharmacies play in supporting public health and wellbeing and understand the disruption caused by these closures, particularly for vulnerable groups who depend on local access to vital healthcare services.”
It added that the wider industry had been under pressure for years, blaming what it called “systemic underfunding for almost a decade” and warning that more support is needed to prevent further closures.
As part of the new deal, Allied Pharmacies said it will also work to rebuild confidence with staff and customers. It confirmed it is “taking steps to address outstanding salary arrears of employed staff” who were affected by the takeover.
According to The Sun, staff at Jhoots Pharmacies were reportedly owed hundreds of thousands of pounds in missed wages. Locum pharmacists, who often work on a freelance basis, were among those said to have been impacted.
The Pharmacists Defence Association claimed the total unpaid wages could be as high as £670,000.
Allied Pharmacies said it appreciated the efforts of those affected during a “difficult period” and encouraged any locum workers to contact the administrators of Jhoots.
The company already operates around 150 branches and the move brings its total number of sites to over 200 across England and Wales.