Staff at the Lloyds Pharmacy Okehampton branch have confirmed that the store will stay open despite a change of name in the near future.

Some residents have questioned whether the pharmacy will close temporarily while it undergoes a change in name to Pharmaderma. But staff have said that the pharmacy will continue to provide a walk-in service and customers will still be able to pick up prescriptions.

They expect the pharmacy to open under the new name at the end of this month.

Worries over the future of the pharmacy chain have arisen since the company announced in January that it was closing all Lloyds pharmacies situated within Sainsbury’s stores.

A spokesperson for Lloyds Pharmacy, said: ‘Lloyds Pharmacy is reviewing its community pharmacy estate and is selectively selling some branches. No LloydsPharmacy store is at risk of closure, except those within the Sainsbury’s estate.

‘The majority of buyers of these selected branches are independent pharmacy owners and local businesspeople who have demonstrated that they are committed to our branch teams and patients, and are well placed to meet the ongoing health needs of the local community.

‘The Lloyds Pharmacy team is pleased that its colleagues from these stores will be joining successful, local businesses and that for patients there will be no change in the way they use their local pharmacy.’

In September last year, Okehampton’s Lloyds Pharmacy was forced to close for several days due to a shortage of pharmacists, one of the professions on the Home Office’s Shortage Occupation List.

At the time of the closure, Lloyds Pharmacy staff explained: ‘Legally a pharmacist must be present in the store for it to open and to give patients their prescriptions, therefore at times when a locum pharmacist can’t be sourced...last resort is to temporarily close.

There have also been problems with staff shortages at Lloyds Pharmacy in Callington, over the border in Cornwall.