EXCLUSIVE

Patients view independent pharmacists as “firefighters” in health and large multiples as “impersonal”, a world expert on health inequalities has said.

Independents had an “important role to play” in reducing inequalities in their local areas, Sir Michael Marmot, director of University College London’s Institute of Health Equity, said at a policy event on health equalities last week (February 4).

But Sir Michael told C+D that patients “might think differently about big chains”. He referred to statements by Walgreens Boots Alliance chief executive Stefano Pessina, who was reported as saying a Labour government would be a “catastrophe” for British businesses in The Telegraph last month.

“They’re an impersonal giant corporation who are making public statements about who you should vote for in the election...but that’s another issue,” Sir Michael said.

On January 31, The Telegraph reported that Mr Pessina had slammed Labour’s plans as “not helpful for business”. Labour has set out a strategy to restore a 50p top rate of income tax and freeze energy companies’ prices for 20 months, but Boots told C+D that Mr Pessina had been talking about a hypothetical situation and had not referred to the party's specific election plans.

Labour MPs, including Tom Watson, Barry Sheerman and Tom Blenkinsop, responded on Twitter to Mr Pessina's comments by criticising the health and beauty giant’s tax record.

In 2013, Boots hit back at accusations made by trade unions and charities in the UK, who criticised the pharmacy giant for avoiding paying UK tax via tax havens such as the Cayman Islands. An assessment by an independent economic regulator working under the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills had decided not to investigate the matter further, and Boots said at the time that the report contained “significant inaccuracies”.

 

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