The chain has placed the standard-hour pharmacies – located across the Midlands and the surrounding areas – through Hutchings Consultants, under the title “Project Nuno”, it confirmed to C+D yesterday (February 27).

The group “is exploring options for the future development of [our] healthcare business”, which “includes an exploratory process to assess the value of a number of pharmacies”, Midcounties Co-operative told C+D.

This “may lead to the sale of part of our estate”, it added.

“The process is at a very early stage and we will ensure that any developments are communicated to colleagues, who will always be our primary focus alongside the interests of customers in our communities.”

The branches include a “selection of integrated medical centre units, through to high street-based units”, Hutchings Consultants said on its website.

The remaining eight Midcounties Co-operative pharmacies are located within Co-op food stores, and will not be evaluated as part of “Project Nuno”, the group confirmed.

Hutchings said the “preferred route” would be to sell the pharmacies by three regional groupings – west of Birmingham, north of Birmingham, and Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.