NEARLY a year of pharmacy related pain for Holsworthy residents could soon be over after the takeover of 60 branches of Jhoots Pharmacy by Allied Healthcare.

Residents in the town have been adversely impacted since the sudden closure of Jhoots Pharmacy in January, just months after promises to provide a better service came to nothing.

Holsworthy town councillors and Sir Geoffrey Cox KC, the member of parliament for Torridge and Tavistock have been calling for Jhoots to either re-open or surrender their pharmacy licence to allow a new entrant to take its place in the town, it has been announced that multiple branches will be taken over by Allied.

It is understood that some companies operating under the Jhoots Pharmacy chain have gone into administration amid an ongoing inability to pay staff wages.

LP SD companies refer to former Lloyds Pharmacy branches, of which Holsworthy was one that was taken over by Jhoots in November 2023.

Three directors operate ‘legally separate’ companies using the Jhoots Pharmacy name with the businesses independently owned by Nilam Patel or by Sarbjit and Manjit Jhooty, with the companies affected include 21 pharmacy businesses trading under LP SD company names.

It is understood that Jhoots branded pharmacies elsewhere that are owned by Manjit Jhooty are unaffected by the administration.

A spokesperson for Allied Pharmacy said: “We are pleased to announce that we have taken over the management of 60 Jhoots Pharmacies. While the majority of these locations are temporarily closed, we are fully committed to reinstating essential pharmacy services.

"We recognise the fundamental role that community pharmacies play in supporting public health and wellbeing and understand the disruption caused by these closures, particularly for vulnerable groups who depend on local access to vital healthcare services. Our immediate priority is to resume Pharmaceutical Services as soon as possible for these sites.

“However, this transition highlights the broader challenges facing the community pharmacy sector. While a variety of factors may have contributed to the difficulties at Jhoots Pharmacies, systemic underfunding for almost a decade has placed immense strain on many operators. Without meaningful intervention at a national level, the collapse of other significant providers – as seen previously with Lloyds, and now Jhoots – could continue to affect patient care and the viability of community pharmacies nationwide."

Acknowledging the impact of former Jhoots Pharmacy staff who suffered rent arrears from unpaid wages, the spokesperson for Allied Pharmacy added that they would work to recompense those staff.

They added: “We would also like to express our appreciation for the dedicated former Jhoots employees who have been impacted during this difficult period. Their commitment has not gone unnoticed. Allied Pharmacies will be taking steps to address outstanding salary arrears of employed staff as part of our efforts to support the workforce and rebuild trust.

“We would also encourage Locum Pharmacist contractors who have worked with any of these branches, to contact the Jhoots administrators.

“Allied Pharmacies remains focused in our mission to deliver exceptional pharmaceutical care, and we look forward to strengthening our connection with each community we serve.”

It is not yet clear when Holsworthy Pharmacy will be reopened, and Allied Healthcare have been contacted for further comment.