A Cheltenham pharmacy is among 60 Jhoots Pharmacies across the country to be taken over by Allied Pharmacies, following widespread temporary closures that left many communities without access to vital health services.
In a statement issued through Chelgate Ltd, Allied Pharmacies confirmed that it has assumed management of the affected sites and pledged to restore essential pharmacy services as quickly as possible, including in Cheltenham.
“We recognise the fundamental role that community pharmacies play in supporting public health and wellbeing,” the company said. “Our immediate priority is to resume Pharmaceutical Services as soon as possible for these sites.”
While the majority of the 60 branches remain closed, Allied Pharmacies said it was committed to reinstating services and rebuilding public trust, acknowledging the disruption caused by the collapse of Jhoots Pharmacies earlier this year.
The company also promised to address outstanding salary arrears for former Jhoots employees and urged locum pharmacists who previously worked with the branches to contact the Jhoots administrators.
“We would like to express our appreciation for the dedicated former Jhoots employees who have been impacted during this difficult period. Their commitment has not gone unnoticed,” the statement continued.
Allied Pharmacies described the situation as a reflection of the broader crisis facing the UK’s community pharmacy sector, citing nearly a decade of underfunding that has placed “immense strain” on operators.
“Without meaningful intervention at a national level, the collapse of other significant providers – as seen previously with Lloyds, and now Jhoots – could continue to affect patient care and the viability of community pharmacies nationwide,” the group warned.
The Cheltenham site at Edinburgh Place had been among those affected by the Jhoots closures, leaving local residents without a nearby dispensary for prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines. Community leaders had expressed concern about the impact on elderly and vulnerable patients in the area.
Allied Pharmacies said it remains focused on its mission to deliver exceptional pharmaceutical care and to strengthen its relationships with communities such as Cheltenham.
“We look forward to strengthening our connection with each community we serve,” the statement concluded.