Helensburgh Boots sees thousands more customers after change

Boots closed the smaller of its two branches in Sinclair Street last year, moving thousands of patients to its larger branch.

The firm admitted to the Advertiser that they were experiencing an "increased number of customers" - but didn't concede that it was caused by their closing of a branch.

The branch at 47 Sinclair Street was one of 300 around the UK chosen by the company for closure last year.

It's thought as many as 3,000 people in Helensburgh may have been affected.

One particular problem has been with dosettes - what's called a 'compliance aid' - which divides prescriptions into doses for identified dates and times.

Boots is understood to have stopped accepting new patients for their service, while Gordon's Chemist, also in Sinclair Street, is also unable to take on more.

Rowlands Pharmacy, in West Princes Street, uses a different system, with a roll of plastic pouches with pills pulled one by one from a box.

Amy Lawes, accuracy checking pharmacy technician at Rowlands, said theirs is a very different system for customers to get used to.

"I think the biggest impact with Boots is struggling with the increase in patients and compliance aids," she said.

"The main issue is compliance aids. That, for Helensburgh, has been the biggest problem.

"We are noticing quite an increase in prescriptions coming over because the big Boots is struggling so much.

"There have been huge queues in Boots, and I really feel sorry for Boots staff and what they had to go through there."

She said the team at Rowlands "felt awful" for what happened with the smaller Boots, and had offered to hire a former staff for an extra position.

"I think it's starting to settle down," she added. "We are able to take more."

READ MORE: Boots refuses to confirm future of one of its Helensburgh stores

One local pensioner, who relies on the service,said: “Boots had two stores which dealt with the repeat prescriptions very well.

"Now, with one enlarged prescription area in one store, the staff have to deal with an huge clientele and, to my eyes, an enormous workload.

"Mistakes with prescriptions are happening, long queues and the assistants are, I think, overwhelmed, though they are always polite and helpful.

"The question I‘d like to ask is whether there are the same number of staff now as there were when there were two shops?”

One former customer of the now-closed Boots told the Advertiser there were problems with scripts being filled out, and it was now taking a week to get prescriptions.

She said: "I refuse to go into the bigger Boots purely because they are under so much stress and it's really not their fault.

"I loved the wee Boots - it was like family.

"I don't think Boots thought about it at all. They've chucked their ladies under the bus.

"It used to be 48 hours' notice for prescriptions, but they can't do that now. I feel sorry for the people who have to give them a week now.

"I think a lot of people have gone to Gordon's or Rowlands. A lot of people stayed because they felt loyal to Boots."

She added that in the smaller Boots, she could get prescriptions and buy products at the same till. But in the bigger Boots store, she has to go to different counters.

"Some of the former workers went to Sinclair Street and some went to Anniesland," she said.

"They made sure they were all okay, but that's not the same. A lot didn't have the same working conditions or hours.

"I miss the wee Boots and I feel for the big Boots - very much so."

Catriona Oliver, manager at Gordon's, across the street from the former Boots, said they had been busier since the chemist closed.

"The number of prescriptions we do has gone up substantially," she said.

"We have not had any extra staff. We just have to make do with what we have."

She said they were unable to take on new dosettes.

Boots was asked about the impact of the branch closure and the resulting effect on its larger store in town, but didn't directly acknowledge the closure of the smaller pharmacy or that it may have had implications for the bigger branch.

A spokesperson said: “The Boots store on Sinclair Street in Helensburgh is currently experiencing an increased number of customers and new patients.

"Our store team is putting measures in place to help to meet demand and our team members continue to work hard to minimise disruption.

"We apologise to those who have been affected and thank them for bearing with us and being kind to our team members during this time.”

Helensburgh and Lomond MSP Jackie Baillie said she was aware of concerns from constituents about dispensing at Boots.

She said: “It appears that staff are under pressure due to insufficient capacity, following the closure of the chain’s second Sinclair Street branch last year and the migration of customers.

“Hard-working pharmacists and pharmacy staff are already under pressure and are playing an increased role in shoring up failing frontline health services.

“I have written to both Boots and NHS Highland, asking that immediate action is taken to ensure there is more capacity and reassure residents who use the branch.”