Telford pharmacy set to close next month
A pharmacy in Telford is set to close at the end of next month as the business running it concentrates on its other premises just a short walk away.
Nigel Dugmore runs both the Parade Pharmacy and Donnington Pharmacy, both in Donnington, and has confirmed that the move to consolidate is for business reasons.
“The Parade is closing and everything will be moving up to Donnington,” said Mr Dugmore, a superintendent pharmacist who is also a parish and Telford & Wrekin borough councillor.
“From a business point of view The Parade has been under-performing,” he added.
“We have recently reduced the opening hours for The Parade and it makes sense to consolidate everything.
“We have no plans to alter the opening hours at Donnington where we will continue with 100 hours of opening to provide a service to the public.”
Mr Dugmore added: “After 4 or 5pm on a Sunday, Donnington is the only pharmacy open in the county. We get people from Ludlow, Cheshire and all over the place.”
The leading pharmacist added that the move would keep the business at Donnington Medical Practice, in Wrekin Drive, viable.
He explained that the NHS sets the price of the drugs that pharmacies dispense and that does not change if the businesses face increased costs.
“The dispensing of prescriptions is not profitable,” he added. “It is one of the reasons that so many pharmacies are closing.”
The decision to close has been planned for several months but Mr Dugmore now understands that all the necessary steps have been carried out with the NHS for the closure to take place. Staff have transferred from The Parade to Donnington.
“April 30 will be the final date at The Parade but the business will resume at Donnington,” Mr Dugmore said.
“We are making sure that the transition is as pain free and hassle free as possible,” said Mr Dugmore. He said future of the rented premises at The Parade will be considered after that.
“The lease is up for renewal at the end of the year,” he said.
“No final decision has been made on that yet. We may keep it and look at some other business to go in there.”
The issue of pharmacy provision across Telford & Wrekin was raised at a meeting of the borough council’s health and wellbeing board last week.
Members of the board were told that there is a noticeable spike in children’s attendances at hospital emergency departments in the evenings when pharmacies close.
