A town council has hit out at plans to built an in-house pharmacy at a Telford medical practice claiming other pharmacies would be hit hard by the proposals.

The plans for Wellington Medical Practice would see consultation rooms converted into an 82-square metre pharmacy open for 103-hours-a-week. The move would also create six jobs.

But Wellington Town Council says the plan would damage trade for three existing pharmacies including Lloyds, located just metres from the practice’s front door.

Objections by the town council are included in a report to go before Telford & Wrekin Council plans board tomorrow.

They claim the proposal will adversely affect three existing pharmacies in the town ‘especially adjacent Lloyds Pharmacy’, there would be no additional benefits to the community and raise concerns about the loss of consulting rooms to the ‘detriment of the patients who are registered at the practice’.

The council also claims the proposed opening hours are ‘unnecessarily long and cannot be policed adequately at night’.

But planning officers recommend the proposals be approved and say the plans would create a one-stop-shop for patients with an integrated service linking the GP and pharmacist.

The report says: “A further benefit to patients is that the pharmacists speak several languages which will aid communication and understanding of the patients needs.

“It is intended to provide a full delivery service of medicines to the public which would be more extensive than the existing service by the adjacent pharmacy.

“It is noted that there are existing pharmacies in Wellington, including one directly adjacent to the medical centre, however based on the number of prescriptions per pharmacy, there is sufficient business to sustain the existing and proposed pharmacies.

Variety

“The proposed pharmacy would allocate the majority of the shop floor to the dispensary; whereas the adjacent pharmacy has greater floor area for a wider variety of retail products.

“Thus it is considered that the additional pharmacy could provide a complimentary business and more choice to the area. Officers do not consider that commercial competition is a ground for refusal.”