Pharmacy closure plan in Portsmouth is rejected by NHS England

The decision to refuse the merger of Rowlands Pharmacy’s London Road and Kingston Crescent branch, which would have led to the closure of the former, was based on Portsmouth’s Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment agreed last year in response to several closures in recent years.

At Wednesday’s meeting of the city health and wellbeing board, an even newer version, drawn up over fears it did not address the most recent of these closures, was abandoned due to the threat of legal action. Concerns about the new assessment were raised in an industry consultation and focused on the contracts pharmacies operate under.

But the city council’s cabinet member for health, councillor Matthew Winnington, said the rejection of the Hilsea merger showed the newer version was not needed.

‘This has been a saga not helped by government legislation not landing at the right time,’ he said. ‘But we do know last year’s assessment works because it has already been used by the health and wellbeing board.’

Rowlands Pharmacy’s proposal had prompted concern from Hilsea councillors and Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt who warned the closure would particularly effect people who are elderly or have mobility issues.

The chain already closed its Elm Grove branch through a similar consolidation application while Lloyds has closed its pharmacy inside the Fitzherbert Road Sainsbury’s supermarket.

David Williams, the council’s outgoing chief executive, said these reflected nationwide trends in the industry.

‘We know that the pharmacy that does the most business in Portsmouth is in Leeds [internet-only Pharmacy2U] so there have been huge shifts in behaviours,’ he said. ‘But at the same time we’ve been desperately trying to increase the range of services and the value of the advice that can come from pharmacies.

‘We are asking it to perform as a market while also delivering public good and that balance is always difficult.’