Independent Pharmacies/Chemist's

In London and several locations we know well in the Midlands, they have all gone and sold to either Boots, Mistry's, Lloyd's

So important to say what you mean and not imply sweeping generalisations which are all to easy to disprove such as the disappearance of all independents in London and areas of the Midlands OP may not be familiar with, of which there must be quite a few!

I used to use Boots in our local shopping centre, but one member of staff was extremely rude, and would not dispense my medication, as she said I had made the request too many days in advance. She could not seem to absorb the fact that medication is in packs of 28, so 28 days, not a full month. I met a friend for lunch, had a couple of wines, and went back to the chemist. Luckily I was served by another person. I changed to collecting my medication from an independent chemist just round the corner from me, which is well used by local residents, and has polite and efficient staff. I live in north London.

I don’t understand why you need this information Fleurpepper. Is there a point to it?

We have 3 within driving distance thankfully. My pain relief often becomes unavailable and I have to wait for it to be made. Independent chemists tend to have stock or a specials department. Such a blessing.

We have a Lloyds at the health centre and one at Sainsburys but since Lloyds have gone bust the Sainsbury's one is closing and the one at the health centre is being taken over. Both branches are running down stocks so I've had prescriptions returned as the drugs were out of stock. What used to be a Boots chemist in the village has become an independent so I have asked for my prescriptions to go there in future. The only drawback is parking can be difficult. It was convenient to get my prescriptions at Sainsbury's while doing my shopping!

There are some. None are particularly convenient to me so I use a big boots which is a 5 or minute drive away (sadly I can't walk it any more). It was also handy before covid as it was open until late and on dh's route home from work so he could go.

It's not great - actual customers seem to be an inconvenience to them - but the other one nearby is a Lloyd's and usually even worse.

I hope OP is reassured that her pessimism was entirely unfounded and despite her prognostications, independent chemists still flourish all over the country - even in London and the Midlands.

We have a fantastic independent pharmacy here in the village, great service, very helpful with a chat about minor complaints and is used as a sort of triage service before going to see attempt to make an appointment with our GP practice. We are all very fond of him and his staff and value them all highly.

Foxygloves

I hope OP is reassured that her pessimism was entirely unfounded and despite her prognostications, independent chemists still flourish all over the country - even in London and the Midlands.

I would only add one thing to the above: despite Brexit 😄
Amazing, isn’t it?

HousePlantQueen- yes, I have said it is excellent news. I am surprised however, as, as said, this is not at all our experience, and I am talking about many locations here.

MerylS- and not ONCE have I mentionned Brexit, but you insist on repeatingly doing so. How very bizare- must be an obsession of yours.

SueDonim

I can think of four independents in my town as well as Lloyds, Boots and Superdrug. I’m about to change to one of the independents because Lloyds given us such poor service. We chose it because it’s close to the surgery but they’re so inefficient. They never have the prescriptions ready, it’s always ‘ready in twenty minutes’. That means you have to pay for parking because you only get 15mins free.

Where we used to live we had a brilliant independent. We were on first name terms and they were so helpful. I do miss that.

That's interesting - we have a similar set-up with Lloyds which most people use as it's also close to the local surgery.

The pharmacist is helpful, but the rest of the staff don't appear to quite know what they are doing.

My cleaning lady collects prescriptions for me and my partner. I clearly type-up which prescriptions have been requested - making a note of the ones that are controlled drugs... because even I know that they are kept separately from the regular drugs.

I have now lost count of the number of times they've forgotten to include the controlled drugs in the package. My cleaning lady says they don't bother to look at the list - just the name, and then rummage around on the shelves until they find the package with the appropriate name. She now opens the package in front of them and checks the contents against my list.

If you attempt to call them there's a 50 / 50 chance that the phone has been switched over to auto-answer, which then stays on for the rest of the day.

... and there appears to be a big staff turnover according to my cleaning lady. They probably employ too few people and don't pay good wages.

They do deliver, free of charge, but I wouldn't trust them to deliver the complete prescription.

That sounds similar to the branch I’ve been using, Dickens. One med was missing and Lloyds were insistent that it hadn’t been prescribed. I was adamant it had, because I’d taken the prescription in myself. They eventually found it in a different part of the shop.

I went into our new place today with a query and met the pharmacist. She couldn’t do enough for us, told us her first name the hours she works and to call her any time if we have a problem. I have high hopes!

SueDonim

That sounds similar to the branch I’ve been using, Dickens. One med was missing and Lloyds were insistent that it hadn’t been prescribed. I was adamant it had, because I’d taken the prescription in myself. They eventually found it in a different part of the shop.

I went into our new place today with a query and met the pharmacist. She couldn’t do enough for us, told us her first name the hours she works and to call her any time if we have a problem. I have high hopes!

Well, you've just prompted me now to change to another pharmacy (Badham Pharmacy- family owned chain of around 20 outlets).

I wouldn't mind if it was a 'one-off', but it happens too regularly - and they also do the "ready-in-twenty-minutes" routine - even though if you 'phone prior to going in, they tell you it's "ready". Having to pay to park must be a pain if you only need to run that one errand.

With Badham's, you can always speak to a pharmacist, their 'phone is never unanswered, and they deliver.

Perhaps Lloyds need to up their game?

www.nhs.uk/services/pharmacy/lloydspharmacy/X4114/ratings-and-reviews

... looks like we're not the only ones dissatisfied with their service!

Didn't know Lloyd's had gone bust. We find them very good.

We have independents in the next village and also in our nearest small town. A town you know well fp.

kittylester

Didn't know Lloyd's had gone bust. We find them very good.

We have independents in the next village and also in our nearest small town. A town you know well fp.

They're closing more than 200 branches across the country, but I don't think they've gone bust (not yet, anyway).

I used the same chemist in my area from 1984 onwards owned by the one pharmacist for all those years. Wonderful people. Her first name is Rani and I am still in touch with her. This is in NW London.

I hope we both end up with an improved service, Dickens. 🤞

SueDonim

I hope we both end up with an improved service, Dickens. 🤞

Lloyds' owner - a private equity firm, AURELIUS, is launching what it calls a 'strategic review' of the business, and there is speculation that all the high street outlets might close for good.

So it's a good idea that we jump ship, before we are pushed... so to speak .

Here in the States it is mostly chains. I use one of the 4 independent pharmacies in this Midwestern city of 2.5 million. It is a compounding pharmacy, sometimes handy for cat medicine or bizarre ointments my dermatologist orders. Growing up in France I can remember taking baskets of foraged mushrooms to the pharmacist in the village to identify and make sure we hadn't picked death caps by mistake. In those days they had to take an identification course to be liscenced. I wonder if that is still true?

On the BBC News tonight- so many more pharmacies closing, independent mostly.

As one Lady said 'we are told, dont go to hospital, go to your GP. And then, don't go to your GP, go to our pharmacy... what happens when the pharmacists are gone???

There are a few pharmacies where I live - one in Asda, a Lloyd's in Sainsbury's, one within a GP practice, and also a Boots. There's also a small, family-run one called Singh, and a Peak Pharmacy.

Fleurpepper

On the BBC News tonight- so many more pharmacies closing, independent mostly.

As one Lady said 'we are told, dont go to hospital, go to your GP. And then, don't go to your GP, go to our pharmacy... what happens when the pharmacists are gone???

The voice of doom 😂
How are the pharmacies in France?

No idea. And the relevance is?

On the BBC news again tonight, re more closures.

On the ITV News £600 million is to be allocated to pharmacists to enable them to provide some of the services which GPs did previously.