A LOCAL councillor is calling for improvements to be made to pharmacy services in the area after receiving “numerous” complaints from residents.

Malcolm Mitchell, SNP councillor for Garscadden/Scotstounhill, says he has received a number of complaints about four branches of Lloyds Pharmacy.

Cllr Mitchell told the Post issues have been identified at outlets on Dyke Road, Alderman Road, Knightswood Shopping Centre and Knightswood Road.

Among the issues raised with him, Cllr Mitchell said excessive queues were by far the most reported, widespread issue and that he has since written to Kevin Birch, chief executive of Lloyds Pharmacy, complaining about the service.

Cllr Mitchell commented: “I was shocked at both the number of complaints raised with me and the fact it included so many different branches of Lloyds.

“Our community in Garscadden/Scotstounhill has a very high proportion of elderly residents and the fact that some elderly people are having to stand in line for over an hour to pick up vital medicine they require is unacceptable.

“My constituents are not asking for much, just a decent level of service from their local pharmacy. To be clear, the issue is not the hardworking members of staff at these stores but rather, matters at an operational level.

“I have concerns about the staffing levels themselves and believe the overworked staff would benefit from Lloyds hiring additional staff to meet customer needs in a timely manner.

“I have made these points directly to Mr Birch and await his response.”

A spokesperson for LloydsPharmacy said: “Due to staff shortages and ongoing demand for community pharmacy services, stores in the Garscadden/Scotstounhill area have been increasingly busy.

“Our colleagues are working hard to manage any queues that may form as a result and continue to support patients at this time.  

“These workforce challenges mark the pressures facing community pharmacy which require a sector-wide response; it is not something LloydsPharmacy and other community pharmacy providers can address on their own.

“As always, patient safety is paramount for us, however, we are operating, like the rest of the healthcare sector, in extraordinarily challenging times.

“We are actively recruiting for pharmacy support teams at our branches in the Garscadden/Scotstounhill area, however, recruiting new pharmacists and pharmacy support teams has become increasingly difficult; there is a shortage of pharmacists, and the profession is listed on the Home Office’s Shortage Occupation List.

“We apologise for the impact on the community and appreciate their patience at this time.”