STAFF shortages have been blamed following a rash of complaints about three Lloyds Pharmacy branches, including the one in Williton.
West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said he received a ‘never-ending stream’ of constituent complaints about the branches in Williton, North Petherton, and Bridgwater, and said they appear to be “in a state of permanent chaos”.
He said: “The complaints fall into the same categories, people are having to queue interminably to get their prescriptions. These are often not ready on time or not in stock, and there is frequently no qualified pharmacist on duty.
“Lloyds has got itself into a monopoly position in many rural locations but is consistently letting its customers down. Thousands of my constituents rely on a regular, uninterrupted supply of medication to remain in good or reasonable health. It is difficult to imagine the levels of stress that are caused when a regular prescription is unavailable or has been mislaid somewhere along the line.
“Lloyds occupies quite an important link in the chain of NHS services but is failing to deliver a commensurate level of reliable service.”
Free Press reader Derek Smith, who lives in Williton, said he and his wife Jacqueline are dependent on Lloyds because it was the only pharmacy in the village.
Mr Smith said: “In a small community it is an essential service and should be well provided.”
Mr Smith said too often in recent months the Williton pharmacy closed because it did not have a qualified pharmacist on duty, repeat prescriptions were not ready, or the branch either did not have the medication or sufficient quantities in stock to fulfil a prescription, meaning patients had to go back on another day.
A spokesperson for Lloyds Pharmacy said the Williton branch had been operating temporary reduced hours due to staff shortages.
Customer Derek Smith added that, on one occasion he was going away for five days to visit his son and was unable to get his insulin from the pharmacy. Mr Smith, a retired Crown Post Office employee, said: “Something needs to be done. At the moment it is like a rudderless ship going round in circles and getting worse.”
He said that, although he wanted to support local traders in the village, he had been forced to change his nominated pharmacy because of the difficulties.
A spokesperson for Lloyds Pharmacy told the Free Press this week the Williton branch had been operating temporary reduced hours due to staff shortages.
She said: “We are actively recruiting for a full-time pharmacist and support teams at our Lloyds Pharmacy in Williton but recruiting new pharmacists and pharmacy teams has become increasingly difficult.
“There is a shortage of pharmacists and the profession is listed on the Home Office’s shortage occupation list.
“Legally, a pharmacist must be present in the store for it to open and to give patients their prescriptions, therefore at times when a locum pharmacist cannot be sourced in times of sickness and absence our last resort is to temporarily close.
“Our priority is always to ensure that the community we serve can access the care they need, so in the event of a closure, we signpost customers to alternative pharmacies in the area.
“These workforce challenges mark the pressures facing community pharmacy which require a sector-wide response. It is not something Lloyds Pharmacy and other community pharmacy providers can address on their own. As always, patient safety is paramount for us, however, we are operating, like the rest of the healthcare sector, in extraordinarily challenging times.”