A Swindon pharmacist has become his own boss after setting up a new venture to replace a closed Boots in Wiltshire. Gurinder Singh worked as store manager in the Malmesbury High Street branch of the chain when he first qualified as a pharmacist in 2015 and went on to work in the Swindon equivalent for four years. After seeing the impact that the loss of Lloyds Pharmacy had on the people of Malmesbury and then hearing that the town’s Boots-managed Primary Care Centre was due to close too, he stepped in to ensure that an independent pharmacy could pick up where the big-name brand had left off.
A similar effort to replace a closed Boots is underway in Swindon, though it is expected to take several weeks for the Gorse Hill Pharmacy team’s bid to be considered and approved. Gurinder got the ball rolling on his plan to start an independent pharmacy six months ago so that he could open it the day after Boots closed. The Malmesbury Pharmacy welcomed its first customers on Monday.
He said: “I wanted to make sure there was no gap in service and that we could respond to the needs of the community. "We bought out Boots’ licence rather than have to apply for a new one, retaining some of the old staff and recruiting new employees. “It’s a positive step to be inside the medical centre, which is a very forward-thinking practice where doctors, pharmacists and dentists can help ensure the patient sees the right clinician at the right time.
"The future for community pharmacies is to.