Pharmacy+Health who runs two pharmacies in Ilkley will close its Cowpasture Road branch following the refurbishment on Monday 10th June of the Springs Lane branch within the health centre.
The Springs Lane branch opening hours will remain Monday to Friday 8am to 6.30pm, where the Cowpasture Road branch opened 7 days a week until 9pm Monday to Saturday and 7pm on Sunday.
The company have said: “We are of course disappointed that we are having to close one of our Ilkley branches and apologise for any disruption this is causing our patients. To remain viable as an organisation that can continue to serve its local communities, we are however having to continually assess our branch network. NHS prescription dispensing is currently funded via a five-year-old, fixed-price, Department of Health model and against ever-increasing costs, many pharmacies nationally are now closing.
“In Ilkley, we have two, very closely located pharmacies and have made the decision to close the Ilkley Moor branch on Cowpasture Road. This allows us to focus our resources and investment, both in terms of staff and a refit, on the Springs Lane branch.
“After the refit, which will be completed in the coming 1-2 weeks, new consulting rooms will be available for our trained pharmacists to see patients who have booked an appointment for one of our range of healthcare services. The NHS Pharmacy First Service for example, gives patients quick access for patients to see a healthcare professional about one of seven common conditions, whilst also helping reduce pressure on local GPs.
“We have invested significantly in centralised prescription assembly hub technology to support the increasing demand for appointments and we are confident that all patient prescription volume can be handled from the Springs Lane location within their current working hours.
“Help us to help you by requesting your predictable, repeat prescriptions from the GP, five working days in advance of needing your medicines. This allows them plenty of time to issue the prescription to us, and for us to then assemble, label, check, bag and have your medicines back at the branch, ready for when you need them.”
Following the closure there will be no evening pharmacy provision in Ilkley and weekends will be limited to Boots on Brook Street.