COUNCILLORS say they are “appalled” by the lack of certainty over pharmacy provision in Wellington.

Cllr Keith Wheatley, speaking at Wellington Town Council’s monthly meeting on Monday, August 4, said it was “vital” that the town got a new pharmacy.

His comments came during a heated discussion about medical facilities in Wellington amidst the news that the Luson Surgery is set to close in September, along with the temporary closure of inpatient beds at Wellington Community Hospital, and Wellington Medical Centre without a pharmacy.

Earlier this year, Reading-based Orange Pharmacy announced it wanted to move into the vacant building at the medical centre in Mantle Street which had previously been used by Boots and closed in February 2024.

But Orange Pharmacy’s hopes of opening at the medical centre were turned down by Somerset health officials.

Cllr Wheatley, speaking at the town council meeting, said: “I was absolutely appalled that NHS Somerset had turned down the people wanting to reopen the pharmacy at Wellington Medical Centre.

“We really need to focus on the pharmacy situation — it’s absolutely vital for people. The anxiety that is caused when you run out of medication is awful. Having to wait to get your hands on the tablets that could keep you alive but you can’t – surely that has to be the priority.”

Cllr Wheatley added: “We have an empty pharmacy building, we have a pharmacy wanting to get in and we have GPs who want them there – for God’s sake, let’s get it open!”

Liberal Democrat MP for the area, Gideon Amos, added: “I will be meeting with NHS Somerset to discuss this more. With Taunton growing and Wellington growing – we need a new pharmacy here and that is what we need to campaign for.

“I am right behind this – we need a new pharmacy in Wellington,” he said.

It is not yet known what will become of the Jhoots pharmacy to the rear of the soon-to-close Luson Surgery which – as reported in the Wellington Weekly News – has attracted increasing complaints from patients about sudden closures and an apparent lack of staff, leading to lengthy waits for prescriptions.

And the concerns about Jhoots continued at the town council meeting on August 4.

Cllr Ross Henley said: “It is a farcical situation in Jhoots with the problems they have. It is a broken business model.”

Cllr John Thorne added: “We need an urgent meeting with NHS Somerset and the Orange Pharmacy to see what can be done.”

Councillors agreed that they needed to do all they could to ensure that a new pharmacy was opened at the Wellington Medical Centre as quickly as possible.

It was back in late 2023 when it was announced that the Boots pharmacy by the medical centre would close early the following year with the rationale being that the company had another well-used pharmacy at its store in Wellington’s High Street. People argued it was common sense to have a pharmacy next to the surgery.