INTERVIEW
of our people a few days ago at Birmingham ICC, and we announced our commitment to go above and beyond to deliver personalised health and wellbeing services, and valued products in a friendly and compassionate way.
“For our people, that starts today.”
CAPITALISING ON INVESTMENT The announced investment will also enable the business to develop the role of the pharmacy team to support more people within the local communities they serve.
John explains, “This will be in the form of planned increased recruitment of hundreds of employees each year across all areas of the UK. There will be capital investment in the renovation and relocation of existing branches; along with plans to acquire more pharmacies and investing in establishing a wholesale pharmacy business.
“As demand grows, due to factors such as increasing population size and longer life expectancy, Well aims to increase customer numbers with its enhanced proposition and grow current annual revenues of £750million to £1billion by 2019.”
And how do they plan to do this? “At Well, we plan to improve our profitability by increasing the size of our portfolio, growing from 780 to 1000 branches. We will increase our market share in both the care home and B2B wholesale sectors.
“We will also work to improve awareness at a policy level of the role that pharmacies can play to support the NHS.
“Did you know, the cost per intervention by a GP currently stands at £40 per intervention, and this is just £14 for a pharmacist intervention? Well’s expert pharmacists can help to relieve the pressure that the NHS is currently under.
It’s our aim to
become an essential part of each of our communities, our customers know our pharmacists by name. They trust that we will provide them with the expert advice they need to make the most of their health.”
Recruitment is a critical factor for this new brand and Scottish pharmacists will also be relieved to hear there are no pharmacy closures in the pipeline.
12 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST
“Bestway Group’s major investment will not only create new jobs, it will also enable the business to develop the role of the pharmacy team to provide personalised healthcare and deliver an excellent patient experience, improving health and reducing health inequalities in local communities in the process.
“This is a very exciting time for the business, our employees and our customers, and ultimately our strategy will see us reach a place where local communities treat their local Pharmacy as a first ‘port of call’ in making the most of their health.”
Well CEO John Nuttall with Zameer Choudrey, Bestway Chief Executive
“WE HAVE PLEDGED TO GIVE WELL STRONG SUPPORT BY COMMITTING TO INVEST £200M OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO HELP DEVELOP AND GROW THE BUSINESS, AND TO MAKE SURE WELL CONTINUES TO SERVE ITS CUSTOMERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO THE HIGH STANDARD THE BUSINESS HAS ALWAYS DELIVERED”
– ZAMEER CHOUDREY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, BESTWAY
“At Well, we do not have specific figures for recruitment in Scotland or any other region at present. We will be increasing our number of pharmacies from 780 to 1000 across the UK, including Scotland, and this in turn will stimulate recruitment.
“We are also creating jobs to support the new wholesale B2B offering and our increased involvement in care homes. Our Manchester head office will also see growth in staff numbers
as we move away from our previous parent company.”
“There will be no closures,” he adds. “We are looking to grow our portfolio, to increase profitability.”
He concludes, “Community pharmacies can play a key role in easing the increasingly unsustainable pressures faced by frontline NHS services, beyond simply providing prescriptions.
Zameer Choudrey, CEO of Bestway Group added his sentiments to the next chapter of this business story. “We are very pleased to announce and launch Well. We are confident in the new branding that has been created and have no doubt that it has a bright future ahead.
“Moreover, we have pledged to give Well strong support by committing to invest £200m over the next five years to help develop and grow the business, and to make sure Well continues to serve its customers and local communities to the high standard the business has always delivered.”
A further £1.6million is being invested into establishing a new headquarters for Well in Manchester, relocating 227 colleagues from the current Co- operative Group head office.
The business will move into the 22,000 sq ft Merchants Warehouse, a Grade II listed building in Manchester’s historic Castlefield district, in late 2015(Q4) – with the location chosen in line with the heritage of the business and its historic links to the North of England. •
“Ensuring more people make better use of the advice, services and products at Well, we can support the NHS in treating minor ailments and managing lifestyle health issues such as smoking and weight – relieving pressure on key NHS services.
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