Lloyds pharmacy closures – Lloyds Pharmacy is closing more than 230 branches inside Sainsbury’s supermarkets, including some in the North East. The pharmacy chain had previously stated that by the end of 2023, these services would be permanently discontinued. Yet, in a move that would impact thousands of grocery customers, these plans have now been pushed back.
It happens after Aurelius, a global private equity group, buys McKesson UK. It is the parent company of Lloyds. Aurelius later revealed significant restructuring plans. When the closures were first announced in January of this year, “changing market conditions” were cited as the cause.
According to a Lloyds Pharmacy representative, all Sainsbury’s stores will stop offering pharmacy services starting in January 2023 and continuing through the rest of the year. It was officially confirmed that all Sainsbury’s estate locations would shut down by June 13, 2023. In this article, we can learn about the causes and list of Lloyd’s Pharmacy stores closing.
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Who is the owner of Lloyd’s Pharma?
The British pharmacy company Lloyds Pharmacy Ltd. trades under the brand Lloyds Pharmacy. Each year, it distributes more than 150 million prescription goods and employs over 17,000 people. The American McKesson Corporation once owned it and is currently owned by the Aurelius Group.
The company’s headquarters are located at Sapphire Court in Coventry, England’s Walsgrave Triangle Business Park. The second-largest chain of local pharmacies in the UK in 2021 was Lloyds.
The Aurelius Group acquired McKesson’s UK operations in April 2022. It includes Lloyds Pharmacy, wholesaler AAH, and a travel health service. At this moment, massive restructuring plans were revealed. It is to revamp the country’s second-largest pharmacy business, after Boots.
The plans have received a little more clarification. Boots and Superdrugs specialize in cosmetics and beauty products. Unlike those, Lloyds’ business model is centred around pharmacy products. Lloyds said in January 2023 that it planned to remove it from all Sainsbury’s in-store pharmacies that year.
Heavily criticized pharmacy chain:
The persistent issues with Towcester’s pharmacy services are getting worse. as a result of the neighbourhood Lloyd’s’ early closing times. It was due to the difficulty of filling prescriptions and the long lines that extended onto the streets.
Residents had voiced issues about the Brook Health Center and Watling Street Lloyd’s Pharmacies. It’s because they were forced to find alternate locations outside of town to get their medications.
Since November 2022, residents have routinely complained about problems with pharmacy services. Some people have personally contacted Lloyd’s CEO. Others have requested that MP Andrea Leadsom step in; persistent issues still need to be addressed.
There have been complaints about the service’s irregular opening hours and sudden closures. Large lines were reportedly forming on the street. Also, pharmacy workers had to physically stop the line to keep others from joining it.
Residents of Towcester have claimed that they have turned to online pharmacies in other cities. Some have stated that they are travelling to other cities to fill their prescriptions.
When asked about the pharmacy on Watling Street, a representative of Lloyds Pharmacy responded, “As is typical at this time of year, there is a rising demand for community health services.”
“As a result, business at our Watling Street Lloyds Pharmacy branch has increased. Occasionally, patients have faced longer wait times than usual.”
When do Lloyds Pharmacy locations close their doors?
Chemist+Druggist has been made aware by Lloyd’s Pharmacy that they are “exploring options for every single branch” in relation to the closures. It “refers to the fact that the timeline and final plans can differ on a branch-by-branch basis,” it is further stated.
A representative for the British pharmacy company stated in a similar manner that options for employees affected by the closures will be looked into “branch by branch.” Besides, they promise to “support them through the process” by being present.
In February, a Lloyd’s Pharmacy representative informed Chemist+Druggist that the Dorset location would be closing as early as April. When the lease with Sainsbury’s expires on March 13, 2023, the Lloyds Pharmacy location in Christchurch will close, they informed the publication.
However, the business declined to comment on whether the deadline also extended to pharmacies closing in other locations.
The parent company of Lloyds Pharmacy paid £125 million to acquire the 280-store chain of pharmacies from Sainsbury’s back in 2015. Two thousand five hundred employees were moved to Sainsbury’s stores as part of the acquisition.
Why are Lloyd’s Pharmacy locations closing down?
The decision to close specific Sainsbury’s Lloyd’s Pharmacy locations was reached. According to a corporate representative, it was decided after conducting “a strategic evaluation of its operations in response to evolving market conditions.”
The UK has been dealing with the closure of Lloyd’s pharmacies for the past few years despite the lack of further justification. The company disclosed its financial report for 2020–2021. Later, it revealed that it would close, merge, or sell 76 branches throughout the next fiscal year. The “rationalization program” that resulted from the “challenging” government funding model had to include this as an element.
Phoenix UK owns the Numark and Rowlands pharmacy groups. It has expressed similar concerns about the lack of government funding for pharmacies.
Nigel Swift, the deputy managing director of Phoenix UK, commented on the Lloyd’s Pharmacy closures. He said, “This news is the clearest possible sign of the dire situation facing local pharmacies in England. It is due to insufficient government funding.”
Since the pharmaceutical contract began, real-term financing has been drastically reduced. It led to hundreds of closures. The community pharmacy network is more important than ever at a time when the NHS is in trouble. These closures would lessen patient access to necessary healthcare services. Also, it will put more pressure on already crowded local pharmacies, especially in areas where services are lacking.
There may be some hope for Sainsbury’s in-store pharmacy in the future. According to the Independent Community Pharmacist, there are rumours about Bestway Group, which owns Well Pharmacy. The story is that it may be considering acquiring some of the locations in light of a new agreement with the supermarket.
Grocery Gazette and Retail Gazette are the grocery trade publications. They have claimed that the Bestway Group may be interested in purchasing some of the 237 Lloyds Pharmacy stores in Sainsbury’s that are scheduled to close. The Bestway Group allegedly paid £200 million for a 3.5 per cent share in Sainsbury’s in January. Both parties have not verified anything as of yet.
Lloyds Pharmacy exits Sainsbury’s counters:
Since 2015, Sainsbury’s pharmacy counters have been run by Lloyds Pharmacy. Many customers may need to have their prescriptions sent to various nearby pharmacies. It’s because of the branch closures. It would leave hundreds of Sainsbury’s stores without pharmacy services.
The pharmacy firm had previously stated it would split from Sainsbury’s “throughout 2023.” So, the complete closure less than halfway through the year may come as a surprise to some. A representative for Sainsbury’s said:
“Lloyds Pharmacy announced its plan to stop providing pharmacy services in Sainsbury’s stores at the beginning of this year. Since then, we have collaborated with them to make sure customers understand how to find an alternative pharmacy to suit their needs.”
“We are still working out the details of how each retailer will permanently occupy the area left vacant by Lloyds Pharmacy. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we make these changes. Also, customers might observe temporary adjustments in the aisles where pharmacy counters are being removed.”
All 237 of the Lloyds Pharmacy locations at Sainsbury’s have closed as of June 13. So, patients who pick up their prescriptions there will need to make other arrangements.
List of all 237 Lloyds Pharmacy locations closed inside Sainsbury’s stores:
Initially, it was set up for the planned closures to be executed gradually over the following year. Sainsbury’s supermarket-based Lloyds Pharmacy locations will permanently close on June 13, 2023. A total of 237 sites located in Sainsbury’s supermarkets stopped operating. It is according to Pharmacy Business magazine in June 2023.
The planned branch closures of Lloyds Pharmacy, which were intended to be phased out over the following year, have now been quickly expedited. This unexpected upheaval threatens almost 2,000 jobs throughout the UK. It has been linked to changing market conditions.
The Lloyds chain, which has about 1,300 branches throughout the UK, has already started the process of closing some of its outlets. According to the Mirror, there had been rumours earlier this year. It was about how Lloyds may also be considering closing certain independent stores.
“Lloyds Pharmacy has been dedicated to making it simple for patients to identify an appropriate alternative provision throughout the process. Patients have been advised of the final day of services from their particular pharmacy. It is to move their nominations as necessary.
The complete list of Lloyd’s pharmacies permanently closed for good is as follows:
- Alperton
- Alphington Road
- Altrincham
- Amblecote
- Apsley Mills
- Archer Road
- Arnold
- Ashton Moss
- Badger Farm
- Bagshot Rd
- Ballymena In
- Bamber Bridge
- Banbury
- Barnstaple
- Barnwood
- Bath
- Beaconsfield
- Berryden
- Bicester
- Biggleswade
- Bishop Auckland
- Blackheath
- Bognor Regis
- Bolton
- Bramingham Park
- Brentwood
- Bridgend
- Broadcast
- Brookwood
- Burnley
- Burpham
- Bury St. Edmunds
- Bybrook
- Calcot
- Cannock
- Canterbury
- Carlisle
- Castle Point
- Chaddesden
- Chadwell Heath
- Chafford Hundred
- Cheadle
- Chester
- Chesterfield
- Chichester
- Chippenham
- Chiswick
- Christchurch
- Cobham
- Coldhams Lane
- Coreys Mill
- Courthouse Green
- Cramlington
- Crayford
- Cromwell Road
- Crystal Palace
- Darlington I
- Dartford In
- Denton
- Didcot
- Dome Roundabout
- Dulwich
- Dunstable
- Durham
- East Filton
- East Grinstead
- East Mayne
- East Prescot Rd.
- Eastleigh
- Edenthorpe
- Ellesmere Port
- Eltham
- Ely
- Emersons Green
- Exeter
- Fairfield
- Fallowfield
- Farlington
- Farnborough
- Fosse Park
- Frome
- Glen Rd
- Gloucester Quay
- Godalming
- Charlton Riverside
- Grimsby
- Hadleigh Road
- Halifax
- Hampden
- Hankridge Farm
- Harlow
- Harrogate
- Haverhill
- Hayes
- Haywards Heath
- Hazel Grove
- Heaton
- Heaton Park
- Hedge End
- Hendon
- Hereford
- Heyford Hill
- High Wycombe
- Hoddesdon
- Horsham
- Huntingdon
- I.O.W
- Keighley
- Kempshott
- Kempston
- Kenton
- Kidderminster
- Kidlington
- Kiln Lane
- Kings Lynn
- Ladbroke Grove
- Larkfield
- Leamington
- Lee Green
- Leeds Moortown
- Leek
- Letchworth
- Lewes Rd
- Lincoln
- Liverpool (Woolton)
- Locksbottom
- London Colney
- Longwater Lane
- Loughborough
- Low Hall
- Luton
- Macclesfield
- Maidenhead
- Mansfield
- Marsh Mills
- Marshall Lake
- Meadowbank
- Melksham
- Mere Green
- Merton
- Milton Keynes
- Monks Cross
- Morecambe
- Nantwich
- New Barnet
- New Cross Gate
- Newbury
- Newbury Park
- Newcastle Upon Tyne
- Newhaven
- Newport
- Newton Abbot
- Nine Elms
- North Cheam
- Northfield
- Northwich
- Oldbury
- Osmaston
- Paignton
- Penzance
- Penrith
- Peterborough
- Pinhoe Road
- Pound Lane
- Preston
- Purley Way
- Queens Rd
- Redbank Rd
- Reedswood
- Rice Lane
- Richmond
- Romford
- Rugby
- Rustington
- Sale
- Salford
- Scarborough
- Scunthorpe
- Sedlescombe Road
- Sevenoaks
- Shorthead
- Shrewsbury
- Slough
- South Ruislip
- Southend
- Southport
- Spalding
- Springfield
- St Albans
- Stanmore
- Stanway
- Stirling
- Straiton
- Streatham
- Stroud
- Sudbury
- Sunderland
- Sunderland North
- Sury Basin
- Swadlincote
- Swansea
- Sydenham
- Tadley
- Talbot Heath
- Taplow
- Team Valley
- Telford
- Tewkesbury Road
- Thanet Westwood Cross
- Thetford
- Thornhill
- Torquay
- Truro
- Tunbridge Wells
- Upper Norwood
- Upton
- Urmston
- Wakefield
- Walton
- Warlingham
- Warren Heath
- Watchmoor Park
- Water Lane
- Wednesfield
- Weedon Road
- Welwyn Garden City
- West Green
- West Park Farm
- Whitechapel
- Whitehouse Farm
- Whitley Bay
- Whitstable
- Wigan
- Winchmore Hill
- Winnersh
- Winterstoke Road
- Witney
The pharmacy industry is suffering as more stores close!
Just seven years after purchasing the in-store services for £125 million, LloydsPharmacy announced in January that it was closing all 237 of its pharmacy facilities that were within Sainsbury’s supermarkets. It has now escalated in response to “changing market conditions.”
The firm continues to sell off shops. Meanwhile, Lloyds Pharmacy’s parent company, Hallo Healthcare, has sold its private travel clinic business, Masta. It is according to the Retail Gazette. It happens at a time when Companies House documents show that chief executive Kevin Birch left his position in May 2023. It happened after only eight months in charge.
Birch has “stepped back from his operational role,” according to the company. But he “will remain to support the company strategically.”
The company confirmed that Irish-led travel company Nomad Travel had purchased 32 of its Masta travel clinics. The sale comes after all 237 of Lloyds Pharmacy’s Sainsbury’s locations, which were scheduled to close over the following year but were rushed ahead, closed. It’s estimated that the action endangered 2,000 jobs.
The pharmacy, which was acquired by private equity group Aurelius last year, has recently closed some of its outlets. It also sold travel clinics.
According to documents posted on Companies House, the chain has divided its estate into more than 82 smaller companies. They were all incorporated between November 2022 and June 2023. They are known by the names LP North One and up to LP North Twenty-Five, and LP SD One and up to LP SD Fifty-Four.
Over the past few months, it has started selling off groups of stores. It includes Numark-owned Rowlands Pharmacy, acquiring 30 locations in Scotland. In other areas, Davidson’s Chemists and Kamsons Pharmacy each purchased five stores.
Lloyds Pharmacy issued a statement saying, “Lloyds Pharmacy is evaluating its community pharmacy estate. It is selectively selling some branches.” However, it did not specify how many it was aiming to dispose of.
The majority of the purchasers of these chosen branches are proprietors of independent pharmacies and local business people. They have proven their dedication to the branch teams and patients. They are well-positioned to address the ongoing healthcare demands of the surrounding area.
Besides, LloydsPharmacy was happy to announce that 30 of its branches in Scotland’s employees will be joining the Numark family in May 2023.
The Lloyds Pharmacy team is glad that the employees from these locations will be joining successful neighbourhood businesses. Also, the patient’s access to their neighbourhood pharmacy won’t be altered by any means.
Changes are being made. It’s because the healthcare industry is trying to recover from expanding losses caused by the pandemic and a shift in government funding for the sector.
It reported a loss of £66 million, down from £100.8 million, in the year ending March 31, 2022. It is attributed to “optimizing its portfolio of pharmacies.”
Prescription issues:
If you used to pick up your prescriptions at Sainsbury’s, you’ll need to find a different way to do so. A number of former clients have voiced their complaints about the closure of Lloyds Pharmacy on social media.
Some claim that despite the branch of Lloyds Pharmacy having already closed, their prescriptions are still being sent to Sainsbury’s. Getting their order sent out again somewhere else has been challenging. It’s because the system lists their charges as fulfilled.
According to Lloyds Pharmacy, you may learn more on its FAQ webpage. As a result of the shutdown, it has been assisting people in finding acceptable alternative pharmacies.
How do you alter the pharmacy you’ve chosen?
By speaking with your GP or using the NHS app, you can modify the pharmacy you’ve nominated. You can look up nearby pharmacies using the NHS app and choose one from a list. Your doctor should be able to recommend neighbouring pharmacies.
According to Lloyd’s FAQ page, if your prescription has already been filled, you can ask another store to see whether it has been placed back “on the spine”. If it has, they will set up a pickup for you. If not, you’ll have to revisit your doctor to receive a new one.
Conclusion:
Although Lloyds has closed its 237 locations inside Sainsbury’s, it won’t be going out of business altogether. The Lloyds website can be used to order products and get additional information. Also, there are still hundreds of independent Lloyd’s stores located around the UK. Still, a few of the individual locations have shut down recently.
