The former parent company of the now-defunct LloydsPharmacy has announced it is exiting from its LloydsPharmacy-branded hospital pharmacy sites. 

Hallo Healthcare advised staff this morning that the LloydsPharmacy Healthcare Services is to cease operating its 64 pharmacy sites, which span acute trusts, mental health providers, hospitals and hospices. 

It is understood that the majority of LP HCS’ pharmacies are in outpatient departments. 

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association, which is the recognised trade union for pharmacists working in these 64 sites, said it is “expected to be several months before all such branch transfers are agreed and undertaken”. 

The PDA noted that hospital pharmacy contracts “do change hands periodically, with some outpatient departments operated by pharmacy multiples and others operated by hospital-owned subsidiaries”. 

This is another chapter in a series of corporate sell offs that began under the ownership of asset management company Aurelius, which bought LloydsPharmacy and related businesses in late 2021. 

According to the Hallo Healthcare group’s website, wholesaler AAH, LloydsPharmacy Clinical Home Care and Lloyds Online Doctor are the remaining elements of the business. 

PDA Union director Paul Day said: “each hospital or healthcare services site will still need a service, so it is hoped that we see no job losses in outpatients and that we see no job losses in outpatients and that every pharmacist will be able to continue in their current role, albeit that their employer will change.  

“However, it can be that new employers try to use such transfers to change someone’s role or the terms of their employment.

“For that reason, there are Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) regulations that provide specific rights to those employees impacted. 

“The PDA will support members through this change before, during and after any such TUPE transfer.”

LP HCS has been approached for comment.