On 2nd June 2025, Holsworthy Town Council received the following response:
Thank you for your concern about a Jhoots Pharmacy in Holsworthy which we received on 10 April 2025. I am sorry to learn of the difficulties that your residents are experiencing. We are grateful for you having shared this matter with us, as it has provided important information about what is happening in pharmacy practice.
Within your online concern form you told us about issues with respect to the pharmacy and repeat unexpected closures, for long periods, which is causing delays to patients receiving medications.
I will explain our role, before then outlining how we have used the information which you shared with us.
Who we are and what we do
We regulate pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacies in Great Britain. It’s our role to make sure people receive safe and effective pharmacy care and have trust in pharmacy.
In terms of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, our role is to consider whether they are ‘fit to practise’. Being fit to practise is about someone having the knowledge, skills, character and health in order to provide services safely, and being someone who can be seen as honest and trustworthy. When we receive concerns about a pharmacy professional, we consider whether the information suggests that they may not be fit to practise. Not all concerns, even if justified, will mean that there is a fitness to practise issue. This is because a fitness to practise issue is one where there is a continuing risk to patients, or where public confidence in pharmacy could be significantly undermined. The fitness to practise process is not intended to be a punishment for past mistakes, but rather is to decide what action may be necessary to protect the public and maintain public confidence in future.
In relation to pharmacy premises, we have a team of Inspectors who make sure that pharmacies and their systems are being run properly, and that their staff are appropriately trained. If issues are identified, action can be taken to put things right.
Our decision about your concern
I very much appreciate that this situation must be extremely frustrating and unsatisfactory for you your residents. It is, however, unfortunately the case that unanticipated closures are often outside of the control of a pharmacy. This is because they happen as a result of matters such as staff sickness, and shortages of pharmacists in a particular area meaning that short-notice cover can be difficult to find.
In addition, pharmacy opening hours are a matter which relates to whether they are fulfilling their responsibilities under their contract with the NHS. If you feel that the issues in relation to this pharmacy’s closure are more than occasional difficulties, you may wish to raise them with NHS England. You can contact them at:
Telephone: 0300 311 22 33
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net
Post: NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT
Having considered the issues you have raised with us, it appears that these fall more into the category of how the pharmacy is being operated, rather than the sorts of individual professional issues which would justify a formal fitness to practise investigation. Because of this, we have decided to refer the matter to our local Inspector who covers this particular pharmacy. They will assess the risks posed by the issues you have described, and determine what follow-up action may be appropriate. The Inspector will also factor this information into their decision-making around the timing of any inspections for this pharmacy, and what the focus of any inspection activity ought to include. The role of our Inspectors is to ensure that the systems and processes within pharmacies meet our standards for registered pharmacies, including the skills and competence of the staff working there. If we find problems, we will ensure improvements are made.
We will keep your concern in our records because we may need to consider it if we get any further concerns about this pharmacy.
Thank you again for raising this concern with us; it is very helpful to have this information.
Please accept my best wishes for the future.
