Pharmacy to be removed from register

Castle Pharmacy closed at short notice in April

A pharmacy in the south of the Isle of Man is to stop providing services later this month.

Castle Pharmacy, in Malew Street in Castletown, closed abruptly last month.

It followed the suspension of owner Mahendrakumar Prabhudas Patel's registered pharmacists licence by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPC).

The chemist will operate until 19 May under a locum pharmacist before being removed from the pharmacy register by the Department of Health and Social Care on 19 May.

Manx Care said the interim arrangements would "give patients time to find an alternative pharmacy".

The suspension, which means Mr Patel is no longer allowed to act as a pharmacist, was issued by the GPC fitness to practise committee.

The pharmacist had faced three other similar GPC hearings between 2021 and 2022 and had previously been subject to conditions that included supervision.

A spokeswoman for Manx Care said as the business was registered to Mr Patel, the pharmacy was "no longer able to trade" .

After the outlet has been removed from the pharmacy register GPs will no longer be able to send prescriptions directly to the chemist and it will not be able to dispense them, she added.

Patients were previously advised to request their prescriptions be sent to an alternative dispensary.

The nearest alternatives include Costains Pharmacy in Ballasalla, Lloyds Pharmacies Castletown and Port Erin and Clear Pharmacy in Port St Mary and Port Erin.