A total of 237 branches will be impacted by the announcement, revealed by C+D on Thursday (January 19), although it remains unclear whether the branches will close or be sold.
Now Boots is among the chains offering opportunities for pharmacy teams who may be facing redundancy.
Read more: PDA 'working tirelessly' to avoid job losses after Lloyds quits Sainsbury's
In a statement issued today (January 23), Boots said that the chain is recruiting for more than 1,500 pharmacy roles nationwide and would welcome applications from “pharmacists impacted by Lloydspharmacy closures”.
“News of the closure of Lloydspharmacy branches within Sainsbury’s stores will no doubt have an impact on many talented pharmacists as well as their patients”, Boots UK managing director Sebastian James said.
“We have many roles available at Boots and welcome applications from Lloydspharmacy employees affected by the closures,” he added.
Read more: Lloydspharmacy exits Sainsbury’s: Locations of all the branches revealed
Vacancies “span pharmacy roles at all levels”, Boots said, from “pharmacy advisors (dispensers) and trainee pharmacists to experienced pharmacists looking to develop their careers”.
Well “on hand” for patients and staff
Well Pharmacy joined Boots in reaching out to staff affected by the Lloydspharmacy Sainsbury’s withdrawal.
Its CEO Seb Hobbs today said that he “was sorry to hear that Lloydspharmacy is closing its pharmacies across the Sainsbury’s estate”, leaving many staff members facing “an uncertain future”.
“This will have an unsettling impact on patients, who will need to find a new pharmacy to support them, and on the many community pharmacy professionals affected, who will need to find new roles in the sector,” he continued.
He assured patients that Well’s 760 pharmacies are “on hand to help patients”, adding that there are “lots of roles available for staff affected by the news”.
Day Lewis: “Keen to help” affected colleagues
Day Lewis Pharmacy also said that it is “keen to help” Lloydspharmacy colleagues who are impacted and “looking for their next role”.
A statement posted to LinkedIn today (January 23) said the chain is "saddened by the Chemist+Druggist announcement regarding the withdrawal of Lloyds Pharmacy Sainsburys stores".
Read more: 'A wake-up call': All the reaction to the Lloydspharmacy Sainsbury's exit
“We are as ever keen to help any Lloyds colleagues who may be impacted and are looking for their next role,” it added.
Those affected can email onboarding@daylewisplc.co.uk to see the opportunities available at Day Lewis, it added.
Closure or sale?
The Lloydspharmacy announcement that it would withdraw from the Sainsbury’s branches over the course of 2023 came after months of branch sale rumours.
When asked whether the pharmacies in question will close or be sold, the multiple told C+D it is “currently exploring options for each individual branch”.
This “means that timeline and final plans will vary on a branch-by-branch basis”, the multiple said.
Read more: Lloydspharmacy to ‘withdraw’ pharmacy services from all Sainsbury’s branches
C+D also learned that "how colleagues are potentially affected” will also “vary on a branch-by-branch basis”.
Lloydspharmacy is “working with all colleagues potentially affected by the changes” and intends to “support them through the process”, it said.
The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) said last week (January 19) that it will work “tirelessly” to avoid job losses for those employed by Lloydspharmacy.
Check the C+D site for the latest coverage on this developing story
