Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed swift action in response to the ongoing Jhoots Pharmacy scandal, which has seen staff left unpaid and vulnerable patients deprived of essential medications across Somerset and beyond.
During Prime Minister’s Questions on November 12, Liberal Democrat MP Edward Morello, representing West Dorset, sharply criticized Jhoots Pharmacy and its director Sarbjit Jhooty for their inadequate care of patients and staff. He called on the government to introduce emergency legislation empowering regulators to intervene more effectively, safeguard pharmacy workers, and prevent similar crises in the future.
“Will the Prime Minister allocate parliamentary time for emergency legislation to equip the Government and regulators with the authority to pay staff, address misconduct among pharmacy owners, and ensure such scandals never recur?” Morello asked.
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Acknowledging the urgency, Prime Minister Starmer agreed that the situation was unacceptable. He confirmed that the Care Minister had brought together industry leaders to swiftly resolve the crisis. “It is simply not right that customers and staff have been so badly let down,” he stated, adding that the government is expediting regulatory reform discussions and will keep Parliament informed.
This government intervention follows Allied Pharmacies’ takeover of 60 Jhoots pharmacy branches across England, announced on November 7. Many of these outlets had closed temporarily amid the crisis. Allied Pharmacies has committed to restoring services quickly and addressing outstanding salary arrears for former Jhoots employees.
Jhoots Pharmacy has faced mounting criticism for poor service quality, empty medication shelves, unpaid locum staff, and abrupt closures. In October, Sarbjit Jhooty revealed he had resorted to selling and remortgaging stores to meet wage and rent obligations. Moreover, the General Pharmaceutical Council has taken enforcement measures against the chain.
Local MPs have voiced concern, with Labour MP Sadik Al-Hassan of Somerset North urging NHS England to consider terminating Jhoots’ contract. In Swindon, community pressure mounted with over 200 signatures petitioning for improvements at a local Jhoots branch before Allied Pharmacies stepped in.
Allied Pharmacies attributes the broader challenges facing pharmacies—including the collapses of Lloyds Pharmacy and now Jhoots—to chronic underfunding of the sector. They warn that without national intervention, further closures among major pharmacy providers could occur, impacting healthcare access for many communities.