A temporary pharmacy could be set up in a shipping container in a Wiltshire town to address an “immediate need” for accessible pharmaceutical services in the area.
The pharmacy would include a welfare unit and would be located adjacent to 5 Broxburn Road in Warminster.
The application says the repurposed shipping container will be a temporary solution providing an “essential service to the local community”.
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The application states: “A repurposed shipping container will serve as the main pharmacy unit.
“The container will be finished in a way that enhances the aesthetic appeal, painted blue to add vibrancy while maintaining a professional appearance.
“Appropriate signage will be provided to ensure easy identification while maintaining a simple and professional look.
“The welfare unit will also be a repurposed shipping container, installed to the rear of the main pharmacy container.
“This unit will contain two toilets for use by staff and customers, ensuring that the development meets all current standards.”
It concludes: “The temporary solution is part of a phased development approach, providing essential pharmaceutical services quickly while a permanent facility is being designed and constructed on the same site.
“The proposed temporary pharmacy provides an essential service to the local community, addressing an immediate need for accessible pharmaceutical services in Warminster.”
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Last year, a study revealed that Swindon and Wiltshire have among the fewest number of pharmacists per person in the country.
Figures showed there were 2.1 pharmacists per 10,000 GP patients within the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire NHS region.
It tailed behind the average of 2.9 for the UK, and way behind the highest ratios found in Birmingham of 3.5 pharmacists per 10,000 patients.
In addition, the region had the second-highest vacancy rate for pharmacists in the UK.
Councillors have raised concerns during council meetings, reporting that patients are struggling to get prescriptions and are enduring long waits at pharmacies.
In May, Warminster Town Council wrote to the chief executive of the Integrated Care Board, describing the current situation in Warminster as a crisis.
This came after the closure of Boots Pharmacy next to The Avenue GP surgery in October 2023.
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