Pharmacy closes after staff suffer customer abuse

A pharmacy was forced to temporarily shut after members of staff were abused by customers.

Lloyds Pharmacy, in the Minor Centre, Grove Green, closed its doors on Saturday and left dozens of customers in limbo and without medication.

Sheila Sparham has since written to the head of Lloyds Pharmacy and claimed prescriptions put in more than one week ago are still not yet ready to be collected.

She said: “The current problem at Lloyds is all due to staff shortages and if customers do become abusive, the few staff left are likely to suffer health problems because of the stress.

“It’s a great shame, because I have been using the services for 25 years and always found the staff kind, patient and cheerful.”

Mrs Sparham noticed the chemist was closed on Saturday morning when she went to collect medication and was joined by four more customers.

A notice on the door read: “We have been forced to close due to the abusive behaviour of customers”.

Mrs Sparham added: “I went over there on Monday morning. The queues were coming out of the door and still prescriptions put in a week ago are not yet dispensed and ready for collection – customers are not happy.

“While I was there an elderly gentleman in front of me had gone to collect medication that should have been delivered to his home last week.

“Apparently the usual delivery driver was in hospital having an operation and a promised relief driver had not materialised.”

A Lloyds spokesman said the store re-opened on Monday.

Lynn Hackett, area manager added: “I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by the closure of our pharmacy on Saturday. “Delivering the best possible service and support for our customers is our priority. The pharmacy is now open and working hard to fulfil prescriptions and offer support for all our customers.”