NEWS
SAINSBURY’S PHARMACY TEAMS WELCOMED BY CELESIO
Almost 280 Sainsbury’s pharmacies have offi cially become LloydsPharmacy branches as part of a transaction agreed last year between J Sainsbury Plc and Celesio UK.
Over 2500 new people joined the LloydsPharmacy network on 1 September and, as staff arrived for work, they were greeted with a welcome card and video message from managing director, Cormac Tobin.
Overnight on 31 August, 277 in-store pharmacies received new counter and shelf edge point of sale materials and all pharmacy teams were sporting the new uniform and name badges as the stores opened the following morning. Four hospital pharmacies were also transferred as part of the transaction.
All 277 Sainsbury’s pharmacies have been linked to a ‘buddy’ LloydsPharmacy store, and every LloydsPharmacy in Sainsbury’s was visited on the same day by a colleague from their buddy store to meet their new colleagues and provide operational support. Each store is supported by an Area Manager and an Integration Coach who visited the pharmacy teams within the fi rst week. Integration Coaches have been appointed to support the stores and ensure that their transition into the LloydsPharmacy business is a smooth and successful one.
A programme of rebranding the pharmacies and introducing the LloydsPharmacy service-led approach began immediately and this process will be completed over an eight-month period.
‘I’m delighted that we can offi cially welcome our new colleagues from Sainsbury’s as they become part of the Celesio UK family of businesses and make a wonderful addition to our LloydsPharmacy retail network of stores,’ said Cormac Tobin. ‘Sainsbury’s is a fantastic fi t for us; we
share similar values and aspirations and we are both passionate about excellent customer service and making a positive impact on the communities we serve. Together we will create even greater opportunities and give our customers and patients compelling reasons to come back to us time and time again.’
The addition of Sainsbury’s pharmacies means that there are now around 1800 LloydsPharmacy branches, employing more than 19,000 people.
DAVIDSONS CHEMISTS ACQUIRES
LETHAM ANGUS
PHARMACY Scotland’s largest independent chain has just got bigger! The Davidson Group, which has its head offi ce at Blairgowrie in Tayside, has just bought its 34th pharmacy - Letham Angus - from Nouras Alawi.
When Nouras fi rst opened the pharmacy, it was a new contract pharmacy but, even though it has only been established for a few years, the business has grown rapidly, with turnover now approaching £2 million.
‘We’re absolutely delighted to reach agreement on this acquisition,’ Davidsons’ Managing Director, Allan Gordon, told SP, ‘and now begins the process of assimilating the pharmacy into the Group structure. As a company, Davidsons will continue to look for new acquisitions and currently have a number of offers on the go. An acquisition campaign fund of £20 million is at our disposal for future growth opportunities, so we’re very excited about what the future - short term and long term - has to offer!’
DODGY DIET PILLS: DYING TO LOSE WEIGHT?
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched a new campaign, which is aimed at warning young adults of the dangers of buying dodgy diet pills online.
‘FakeMeds’ aims to warn would-be slimmers against shelling out for dangerous or useless products sold by illegal online suppliers. Every year, thousands of pills and potions promising miracle results are bought online, with women aged 18-30 most likely to buy.
After handing over bank details, many receive bottles of tablets
18 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST
packed with dangerous or useless ingredients. Nasty side effects can include heart attacks, strokes – and in extreme cases, death.
Now, MHRA has launched a campaign page with practical information on how to recognise legitimate online retailers of medicines and medical devices.
Last year, MHRA seized over 240,000 doses of unlicensed slimming pills and closed down over 2,000 unauthorised online retailers. Research carried out by MHRA earlier this year also showed that, although shoppers believe themselves to be
‘internet-savvy’, 79 per cent of the public are unaware of the issue of fake medical products.
‘The internet offers access to a vast number of websites offering products marketed as ‘slimming’ or ‘diet’ pills,’
said MHRA Senior Policy Manager Lynda Scammell. ‘Many of these pills will not be licensed medicines. That means their contents are unknown and untested. Chances are they simply will not work, but they may contain dangerous ingredients. The consequences for health can be devastating.’
For more information, visit
www.gov.uk/fakemeds
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64