Prime Minister Keir Starmer has committed to urgent government intervention following the scandal surrounding Jhoots Pharmacy, which has left staff unpaid and vulnerable residents without essential medications. The issue was brought to the forefront during Prime Minister’s Questions on November 12, when Liberal Democrat MP for West Dorset Edward Morello sharply criticized Jhoots Pharmacy and its director, Sarbjit Jhooty, for “severely neglecting patients and staff.”
MP Morello called for emergency legislation to empower regulators with stronger tools to protect pharmacy workers and patients nationwide. He emphasized the need for swift government action to prevent such scandals from recurring, asking, “Will the Prime Minister make time in the parliamentary schedule for emergency legislation to give the Government and regulators powers to pay staff, tackle improper pharmacy owners and directors, and ensure that scandals like this can never happen again?”
In response, Prime Minister Starmer acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, noting that it had been an ongoing concern raised by several MPs. He condemned the failures, stating, “It is simply not right that customers and staff have been so badly let down.” He highlighted the Care Minister’s efforts in bringing together industry representatives to resolve the crisis swiftly. The Prime Minister also assured that the government is expediting regulatory reforms and will provide updates to Parliament as progress is made.
The controversy intensified when Allied Pharmacies announced on November 7 that it had taken over management of 60 Jhoots Pharmacy locations across England, many of which had experienced temporary closures. Allied Pharmacies pledged to restore services promptly and address unpaid wages owed to former Jhoots employees.
Jhoots Pharmacy had come under mounting scrutiny in recent months amid reports of poor service quality, empty shelves, unpaid locum staff, and abrupt store closures. In October, Sarbjit Jhooty admitted to selling and remortgaging stores to cover operational costs such as wages and rent. The General Pharmaceutical Council has also initiated enforcement actions against the pharmacy chain.
Labour MP and pharmacist for Somerset North, Sadik Al-Hassan, has raised concerns with NHS England and advocated for the removal of Jhoots’ contracts. Additionally, over 200 concerned residents in Swindon signed a petition demanding improvements at their local Jhoots branch before its takeover by Allied Pharmacies.
Allied Pharmacies has pointed to systemic issues within the pharmacy sector, attributing the financial collapse of multiple providers — including Lloyds Pharmacy and Jhoots — to chronic underfunding. The company warned that without national intervention, other large pharmacy operators could also face similar destabilization.