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The Labour MP Sadik Al-Hassan turned down an appeal from officials at Jhoots Pharmacy Limited to help delay their branch's removal from a building owned by a group of doctors in Bristol following concerns about its service levels during showdown talks last week.

Al-Hassan (pictured), Labour's MP for North Somerset, told Independent Community Pharmacist he met the pharmacy chain’s leadership team, including director Sarbjit Jhooty and operations manager David Lasseter, on Friday to discuss Portishead Medical Group’s demand that Jhoots leave the premises next to the practice by the end of last month.

The group claimed patients were “disillusioned” because the pharmacy was operating without a pharmacist, failing to supply medicines and closing “on an ad hoc increasing basis”. 

During the meeting, Al-Hassan said Jhoots “attributed their current operational and financial difficulties to the acquisition of 70 Lloyds pharmacies in 2023” and “claimed unresolved issues from Lloyds had led to significant losses and a liquidity crisis”.

“They asked for my support as their local MP,” he said. “They proposed that if I helped delay action at Portishead Medical Centre, they could resolve their liquidity issues and get the business back on track.”

However, Al-Hassan firmly rejected their request. “If Jhoots’ idea of being ‘on track’ is the level of service we’ve seen since they entered North Somerset, then that is simply not acceptable,” he said.

MP: I support constituents, not shield companies whose track record raises serious concerns

“I made it clear that my role is to support my constituents, not to shield companies whose track record raises serious concerns. Had Jhoots demonstrated reliability and a commitment to patient safety, I would have considered supporting them as I do with many other businesses across North Somerset. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

“Jhoots has a well-documented history of failing to pay staff, rent and suppliers while consistently falling short in delivering safe and dependable pharmacy services. After meeting their leadership team, I am not surprised.”

When asked to respond to Al-Hassan’s remarks, Jhoots did not respond.

There have been concerns about the service levels of Jhoots branches across England. Five Jhoots pharmacies were given improvement notices by the General Pharmaceutical Council between February and August.

The cabinet minister Heidi Alexander wrote to Jhoots Group chief executive Manjit Jhooty in August demanding answers over why its branch in Swindon repeatedly closed, failed to have a pharmacist on the premises and did not answer calls. She was due to meet Jhooty to discuss the issue last month.

Jhooty recently claimed the 20 or so branches he owns through his companies Pasab Ltd and Jhoots Healthcare are “fully functional and continue to deliver services to the communities they serve”.

In a statement last month, Jhoots Pharmacy said: “Pasab Ltd and Jhoots Healthcare Ltd (t/a Jhoots Pharmacy) operate entirely independently from Jhoots Pharmacy Limited and its associated companies. While the trading style ‘Jhoots Pharmacy’ is shared, these organisations are separate and distinct. Our priority remains the wellbeing of our staff, patients, and the communities we serve.”