Another New Pharmacy Contract – this time in Gloucester
Gloucester is the location of our latest success, acting for a client where the NHS was considering two applications from competing paties for the same site. Our client, Tuffley Healthcare, submitted an application to open a new pharmacy in Gloucester after one had already been submitted by Badham Pharmacy (who were legally represented). Despite being second in time, our client’s application was preferred by NHSE and approved. Badham Pharmacy appealed that decision and criticised our client’s application, describing it as a “copy cat” application, whilst at the same time (and somewhat ironically) offering to copy our client’s proposed opening hours. The Appeal Unit had to decide, amongst other things, whether amendments to opening hours were permitted after an application had been submitted. The Appeal Unit determined that changes to hours could be made, but also agreed with our submission that it may be appropriate to send such an amended application back to NHS England for fresh consideration. In this case the Appeal Unit discounted the changes proposed by Badham Pharmacy and granted our client’s application.