Manjit Jhooty - who owns and operates 21 Jhoots pharmacies through his companies Jhoots Healthcare Ltd and Pasab Ltd - will rebrand his portfolio to JHL Pharmacy, he exclusively told C+D today (December 8).
Jhooty said that the “actions of other pharmacy operators trading as Jhoots Pharmacy have caused significant and irreparable damage to the brand name”.
He added that although his businesses have been independent of the others since 2019, he and his directors “feel it is necessary to further distinguish [their] operations beyond the public statements that have been made to date”.
Read more: Exclusive: Unpaid Jhoots locum fees surpass £1m
“We will therefore be rebranding to JHL Pharmacy, with a new supporting strapline of ‘Just Helping Lives’,” he said.
And he told C+D that “those who know [his] organisation will be familiar with the commitment [it has] to the pharmacy sector, to regulatory compliance and to the local communities [it serves]”.
“Saddened”
Jhooty said that while he is “saddened to see” his pharmacies lose the Jhoots Pharmacy brand name “after more than 20 years of hard work and dedication”, he feels it is “the most appropriate course of action given the circumstances”.
He added that the business is “fully focused on ensuring a smooth transition for all stakeholders” going forward.
Read more: Allied takeover: Which ex-Jhoots branches have reopened so far?
He stressed that as JHL Pharmacy, his business’s “leadership and employees”, store locations and “governance and accountability remain the same”.
“Our business strategy - to maintain a size of organisation that is both operationally and financially robust, which can provide sustainable employment opportunities and a consistently high standard of customer service – [also] remains the same,” he said.
A representative for Jhooty said that the rollout of the rebrand will commence this month and the pharmacy portfolio will continue “to be operated by Jhooty’s companies”.
“Wake-up call”
The representative highlighted that the “issues surrounding multiple businesses trading as Jhoots Pharmacy” - none of which are owned or operated by Manjit Jhooty - “have instigated the personal involvement” of the pharmacy minister.
This continues “the widespread debate around the state of community pharmacy in the UK”, they added.
Jhooty said that “these recent events are a wake-up call for the industry” and that the situation must be used “to discuss and address multiple factors, including how we make this sector more sustainable with funding that is fit for purpose”.
Read more: Exclusive: Allied went into Jhoots deal ‘blind’, says CEO
He also called for reforms to “better [regulate] the financial and operational viability of those who wish to expand at an exponential rate”.
“Community pharmacy…needs to be protected, both operationally and reputationally, so that the public continues to have unbroken access to vital prescriptions and services, as well as trust in the professionals behind the counter and at management level,” he added.
C+D approached all known owners and operators of Jhoots pharmacy businesses for comment.
“Independent businesses”
There are various businesses operating under the Jhoots Pharmacy brand name.
A representative for Manjit Jhooty previously told C+D that the numerous allegations of financial mismanagement and the Allied Pharmacies takeover do not relate to the 21 Jhoots pharmacies under his ownership and operation.
Read more: Revealed: Everything we know about action against Jhoots
“There is no legal, financial or governance connection between my companies and those operated by [other owners] - we are independent businesses and share only the Jhoots Pharmacy brand name,” he said at the time.
“The pharmacies that my businesses operate are all fully solvent, functional and continue to provide important services and professional support to their local communities and that is not going to change,” he added.
Read more: DH working to ‘resolve’ Jhoots situation ‘as quickly as possible’
It comes after C+D last month revealed that more than half of the Jhoots branches Allied Pharmacies took over have reopened.
Meanwhile, Allied Pharmacies’ chief executive said in an exclusive interview that it went into the takeover “blind” and “not knowing how many” of the branches it would be able to get back up and running.
