Supermarkets

Boots has appointed a new pharmacy boss, Simon Gregg, who will step into the position next week after leaving his role as Asda’s chief retail officer.

Alcohol harm charity Drinkaware has announced the rollout of a free “drinking check” in all of Morrisons’ 117 pharmacies across the UK to assess the “drinking habits” of customers.

Morrisons has partnered with digital pharmacy Phlo to launch the “Morrisons Clinic”, an “online private prescription service” that delivers customers’ medicine in as little as 24 hours.

Asda will “endeavour to retain as many pharmacists as possible” while it implements a “new model” – but is no longer offering £1,000 one-time payments to sweeten the deal, C+D has learned.

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) is preparing to support some 80 former Sainsbury’s pharmacists who only received statutory redundancy payments after Lloydspharmacy made them redundant in a four-day employment tribunal.

The supermarket chain has revealed significant cuts to head office roles and new office working requirements amid “challenging” market conditions.

Tesco has announced the launch of a new “dedicated health zone” to expand its pharmacy services such as weight management and provide customers with “easy and convenient” healthcare while they shop.

Pharmacists working at Asda have warned that its new structure poses “very serious” risks to patient safety, as well as creating overly stressful working conditions for staff.

Asda’s full-time salaried pharmacists will work one hour less a week for the same salary, the multiple has told C+D.

Asda pharmacists will be asked to “work compressed contracted hours” and “fewer days” in new “voluntary” contracts, C+D has learned.