A marketing campaign to avoid wasting the “important” store at Livingston’s St John’s Hospital has been highlighted to Scotland’s Well being Secretary.
Labour’s Holyrood spokesperson on Well being, Jackie Baillie MSP, has written to the Cupboard Secretary for Well being, Humza Yousaf outlining issues in regards to the doable lack of the store.
The unit, run by the nationwide retailer Compass, is about to shut on the finish of the week after the agency opted to not renew its lease – footfall has dropped 65 per cent for the reason that pandemic.
A spokesperson for Mrs Baillie stated: “Jackie Baillie MSP shares issues across the closure of the Hospital Store at St John’s.
“She has written to the Cupboard Secretary to boost this as a matter of urgency.”
West Lothian Council chief Lawrence Fitzpatrick referred to as the store “important” for sufferers, employees and guests.
He stated: “The store is a necessary a part of any main hospital and gives all kinds of products for sufferers, employees and guests.
“This may have the impact of our much-loved St John’s being the one main hospital
in central Scotland with no store for important toiletry items, newspapers and magazines, greeting playing cards, confectionery and the like.
“A gentle stream of sufferers use the store every day. The closest retail facility is the Co-op reverse the hospital entrance on Howden Highway West, however that will be a harmful journey for sufferers with ambulant or cognitive impairment.
“It's understood the store operator shouldn't be renewing the lease as NHS Lothian insists on pre-pandemic hire ranges whereas retail has not recovered its turnover because of ongoing decrease earnings. This vital challenge requires the quick intervention of The Cupboard Secretary for Well being.”
Neither NHS Lothian or Compass Group Healthcare Retail, can be drawn on particulars of the lease.
A spokesperson for Compass Group Healthcare Retail stated: “Our lease at Livingston hospital has expired and we took the choice to not renew as the shop has not been financially viable for a while. We recognise it is a difficult time for our workers and have been doing all we will to seek out different employment at different websites.”
Aris Tyrothoulakis, web site director at St John’, stated: “The present store tenant has served discover they're terminating the lease on the finish of July 2022. We're within the means of discovering a brand new tenant to exchange the service as quickly as doable.”
“The store is certainly one of a number of areas within the hospital for employees and sufferers to purchase foods and drinks together with the canteen and the cafe and different retailers that promote a variety of merchandise are inside strolling distance.”
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