The Jhoots pharmacy network in the UK is not paying its workers: the debt amount exceeds £670,000.

The situation at Jhoots Pharmacies

According to The Sun: A serious issue is emerging in the UK that threatens the mass closure of the Jhoots Pharmacies network, which has over 140 locations. Workers have not been paid for several weeks, leading to debts of hundreds of thousands of pounds and causing 'shock' among lawmakers.

Salary and management issues

Jhoots Pharmacies, managed by Sarbjit Jhooti, operates about 140 pharmacies across the UK. The Pharmacists Defence Association union accuses the company of delaying payments, causing workers to collectively owe £670,000.

Local workers, who often operate on a freelance basis, find themselves in a difficult situation. MP Sadiq Al Hassan, a former pharmacist, called the situation 'shocking' in an interview with the BBC and urged the pharmacy to review its contracts with NHS.

“In 2023, Jhoots acquired about 40 pharmacies that were closing,” he said.

“They were allowed to do this despite their past concerning negligent management of opening pharmacies and compliance with contracts.”

Pharmacy closures and pharmacist shortages

Al Hassan plans to meet with representatives of Jhoots Pharmacies this month, emphasizing that the NHS should also be involved in resolving the issue. Recent pharmacy closures have resulted from a shortage of pharmacists and insufficient drug supplies. For example, four out of five pharmacies on the Isle of Wight remained closed in recent days.

In North Devon, the situation is also alarming. Workers are filing complaints about unpaid wages and a lack of products that have been delayed for seven weeks.

“I am forced to sit in an empty closed pharmacy because I was told that if I do not come to work, I will be fired for breaching my contract, even though I have not been paid for July,” said one worker.

Another worker admitted that this situation has left him 'in debt', even though he worked all his scheduled shifts. In one pharmacy, there has been no pharmacist since March this year.

Reaction and requests for comments

Similar issues are observed in other regions: one pharmacy in Bristol closed due to a lack of pharmacists, and another in Somerset was not operational for three to four weeks. The Sun newspaper attempted to contact Jhoots Pharmacies, Pharmacists Defence Association, NHS England, and Sarbjit Jhooti for comments.

The situation surrounding Jhoots Pharmacies highlights a critical issue in the UK's healthcare system, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, which is experiencing staffing shortages and financial difficulties. The lack of stable payments to employees could impact the availability of medical services and medicines for the public, causing concern among the residents of the country.