MIDDLEWICH will soon be home to a “super pharmacy”.

Rowlands Pharmacy on St Ann’s Walk is set to relaunch following a merger with the branch on Wheelock Street.

Manager Connor Joyce says this comes due to a mix of rising costs and a lack of funding.

“A lack of funding for pharmacy from NHS, combined with rising utilities costs, means that it is becoming harder to keep pharmacies cost effective.

“With our branches being so close together, it was a company decision to merge and make one super pharmacy, focusing on services and patient care.”

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Northwich Guardian: The branch on St Ann's Walk will relaunch as a super pharmacyThe branch on St Ann's Walk will relaunch as a super pharmacy (Image: Connor Joyce)

He added: “It's very exciting times! Not just for us but for our patients too! It will be a big change with new staffing and the merged workload, but ultimately it is the best decision for our patients, we will be able to provide more services to them.

“We have two consultations room where not only we can offer private consultations but offer services such as vaccinations, health checks, etc.”

Ahead of the merger, a refit has taken place at the St Ann’s Walk branch.

Over the space of two weeks earlier this month, an extra consultation room was installed, allowing the pharmacy to provide more services to patients.

The branch remained open throughout the refit, with staff working around the building work.

The Wheelock Street pharmacy will close for good on Saturday, July 29, ahead of the launch of the super pharmacy on Monday, July 31.

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Northwich Guardian: The pharmacy has had a refitThe pharmacy has had a refit (Image: Connor Joyce)

Mr Joyce, who lives in Middlewich with his husband, started at Rowlands in March 2018 as a trainee dispensing assistant.

He was promoted to branch manager in July 2019.

Asked whether customers will be affected in any way by the merger, he said: “Not at all, the only changes will be that those patients that use the Wheelock Street branch will now collect their prescriptions from the St Ann's Walk branch.

“The staff from Wheelock street will also move over to us, with higher staff levels we will be able to provide more patient services and patient consultations.”

Northwich Guardian: A second consultation room has been created at the pharmacyA second consultation room has been created at the pharmacy (Image: Connor Joyce)