Lloyds Pharmacies have announced that they are closing over 200 pharmacies nationwide within Sainsbury’s supermarkets – including at their Swansea Quay Parade store.
Rival pharmacy chain Well, say they’re ready to step in to help patients affected by the closure however.
Well have three pharmacies within walking distance of the Sainsbury’s store on High Street, The Kingsway and at Beacon Health Centre.
The CEO of Well, Seb Hobbs, has urged locals to pop into any of the pharmacies to have a chat with the team about their healthcare needs the next time they are passing.
He said: “We were all really sorry to hear about the closures, as we know people really rely on having a local pharmacy that they can depend on.
““We want to make sure patients know there is an established and trustworthy pharmacy nearby that can support their healthcare needs, dispense their prescriptions and provide a full array of community pharmacy services. Our local team would be delighted to meet you, so please pop in anytime.”
Lloyds revealed recently that it planned to close all 237 of its pharmacies within the retailer’s stores, meaning that local patients will need to find a new pharmacy and its many members of staff now face an uncertain future.
Chief Executive of Lloyds Pharmacies, Kevin Birch said on the closures: “This decision has not been an easy one, and we understand our patients and customers may have questions about how the change will affect them. We would like to thank them for their continued support and assure them that we are committed to providing a smooth transition over the coming months.”
Sainsbury’s say they will “work with [Lloyds] to ensure customers are clear on how they can access an alternative pharmacy provision to meet their needs”.
(Lead image: Lloyds Pharmacy)
