A DECISION by health bosses to refuse a licence for a new pharmacy in Wellington will stand despite the closure since of one of the town’s three pharmacies.

NHS Somerset said despite the fact Wellington’s Jhoots pharmacy closed some weeks ago, it was ‘not permanently closed’, only ‘experiencing staffing challenges’.

Orange Pharmacy was refused a licence in July by NHS Somerset, which said the town was already well served by the existing three pharmacies Boots, Superdrug, and Jhoots.

The health authority said the pharmacies provided an adequate level of service to Wellington patients and would even be able to cope with an expected population rise of several thousands over the next few years as more houses were built.

However, patients had been complaining for months about random closures of Jhoots, which occupies a building behind the now-closed Luson Surgery in Fore Street, due to lack of a pharmacist and other staff.

Now, Jhoots appears permanently closed with a sign on its cobwebbed front door reading: “We are currently closed due to lack of pharmacist.”

The Wellington Weekly has twice approached Jhoots on the issue and noted that a Wellington branch is no longer listed on the company’s website, but has not received a response.

NHS Somerset said it was aware of concerns but Jhoots was ‘experiencing staffing challenges that have affected its ability to maintain regular opening hours’.

A spokesperson said: “We are working closely with the pharmacy and other local providers to help ensure patients in Wellington continue to have access to the medicines and services they need.

“We are actively monitoring the situation and will continue to support the pharmacy to maintain reliable access for the community.

“Where opening hours are disrupted, patients are encouraged to use other local pharmacies or contact NHS 111 online or by phone for urgent advice.

“Patients can also search for alternative pharmacies, including opening hours and services, by using the NHS ‘Find a Pharmacy’ tool.

“Community pharmacy is a highly regulated area.

“The regulations, the law, set out how pharmacies can apply to open a new pharmacy and how they can take ownership of an existing pharmacy.

“They also set out the tests that NHS Somerset must apply to determine if the application should be granted.

“The recent decision not to approve a new pharmacy application in Wellington remains unchanged.

“This decision was made based on a thorough assessment of long-term community needs and the services currently commissioned in the area.”

Orange wanted to take over the former Boots pharmacy building on the Wellington Medical Centre site in Mantle Street.

But NHS Somerset concluded there were ‘no gaps in pharmacy provision within the Wellington area’.

It said the assessment also accounted for planned future housing developments in the town.

Since that decision, GPs in Luson have closed their surgery and patients have been transferred to the medical centre, which is now looking repurposing the former Boots building to help cope with the increased patient list, meaning a pharmacy could not now use it.