Jhoots Pharmacies, a well-known high street chain with 140 stores across the UK, is facing mounting criticism after employees claimed they are owed substantial back pay. The Pharmacists Defence Association (PDA) has reported that locum pharmacists alone are due around £670,000 in late payments.
Beyond locum staff, numerous regular employees have reportedly gone weeks without wages, leading to significant financial hardship. This pay delay has forced some workers to attend closed branches under threat of dismissal, despite not having received their July salaries.
The situation is further complicated by the abrupt closure of several branches. On the Isle of Wight, four out of five local Jhoots pharmacies have shut down recently, while in North Devon, some locations have not received any new stock for seven weeks, depriving communities of essential healthcare services.
READ MORE: Massive Cannabis Farm Yielding £200,000 Discovered in Weston-super-Mare
READ MORE: Bath Rugby Stadium Plans Advance Amid Government Review
Employees have shared distressing accounts of working unpaid and stores operating without pharmacists for extended periods. Similar disruptions have been reported in Bristol and Somerset, with pharmacies remaining closed for weeks due to staff shortages.
The scandal has drawn the attention of North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan, a former pharmacist, who called the situation “shocking” and “unacceptable.” He criticized Jhoots for acquiring over 40 pharmacies in 2023, despite their poor track record in contract compliance and service delivery.
Mr. Al-Hassan has urged Jhoots to relinquish their NHS contracts, saying, “This level of contract management puts the entire reputation of pharmacy at risk.” He highlighted one branch in Portishead that closed just before a bank holiday and never reopened, further disrupting community access to medications.
The MP plans to meet with Jhoots representatives later this month to seek answers and is advocating for NHS intervention to protect patients from being denied vital treatments.
Attempts to obtain a response from Jhoots Pharmacy have been made by the Daily Express.