COUNCILLORS are concerned about the ongoing future of important pharmacy provision in Wellington.

The Luson Surgery is set to close this month and there are concerns that the Jhoots pharmacy, which is at the rear of the surgery, will also close as well — although there have been increasing complaints from patients about its efficiency with erratic opening hours and lack of medical supplies to meet prescription needs.

It is now looking unlikely that a new pharmacy will go into the vacant building at the Wellington Medical Centre in Mantle Street – meaning Wellington has just two pharmacies available with Boots in High Street and Superdrug in Fore Street.

With several housing developments in the offing and an increase in population, councillors are concerned about what the future might hold.

Cllr Ross Henley, speaking at Wellington Town Council’s monthly meeting on Monday (September 1), said: “We are going to be left with two pharmacies. The situation at Jhoots is absurd and ridiculous – it’s a pharmacy which has no drugs!

“I will be shocked if that business remains viable and whether it will be open in a few weeks time.”

Cllr Andy Govier said that if Jhoots cannot operate properly it should go and allow the health authorities to get someone in there who can.

“The way Jhoots is working at the moment is worse than if it was closed,” he said. “If it was closed at least you’d know it was closed, but people are turning up not knowing if it’s open or shut or whether it has the items you need.”

The council’s chief executive Dave Farrow has contacted the Somerset NHS Trust to request an urgent meeting about the imminent closure of the Luson Surgery and pharmacy provision in the town, but he has yet to be given a date.

“I will continue to chase and hope to be able to update councillors,” he said in his monthly report. “I also understand that the space formerly occupied by Boots Pharmacy at the Wellington Medical Centre is no longer available for use as a pharmacy as it is needed to accommodate the increased patient numbers. I have sought confirmation of this from Somerset NHS Trust.”

Only last month Cllr Keith Wheatley intimated that heads needed to be knocked together so that a vital new pharmacy opened in the town.

Earlier this year Reading-based Orange Pharmacy announced it wanted to move into the vacant building at Wellington Medical Centre 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.

And Cllr Wheatley, speaking at last month’s town council meeting, said: “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.”