Dolphins Pharmacy

Lib Dem MP Alison Bennett is working to fill the gap in pharmacy provision in west Haywards Heath.

The relocation of the pharmacy from the Dolphins at Nightingale Primary Care Centre on Butler's Green Road in Haywards Heath has created a hole in community pharmacy provision. The return of a pharmacy to Cuckfield with the opening of the Cuckfield Chemist is welcome news, but the new gap in provision for the west of Haywards Heath needs to be addressed.

The Dolphins Pharmacy was located next to a GP surgery (Dolphins Practice) alongside other healthcare amenities and nearby several care homes, making it a convenient location for many residents to pick up their prescriptions. Staff at the GP surgery have told Alison how helpful having a pharmacy next door has been for their patients and that they are keen to retain a pharmacy on site. Having their pharmacy located next to their GP was particularly beneficial for older patients or those with mobility issues.

While the Dolphins site was originally intended to be temporary, it has become a key link in local healthcare provision. The closures of pharmacies in Sainsbury's and Bolnore Village since the last Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment in 2022 means that the importance of the Dolphins Pharmacy has not been fully accounted for.

The Consultation on the Draft Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment for 2025 is open until Monday 28 July. Local residents can have their say on the importance of having more community pharmacies at: www.westsussex.gov.uk/pharmacy 

Alison has been in communication with the Chief Executive of NHS Sussex to express the importance of having a pharmacy at the Dolphins. She will continue to work to get the gap in pharmacy provision in the west of Haywards Heath filled.

Despite a growing population, Mid Sussex has lost 15% of it's community pharmacies since 2016. Local pharmacies like the Dolphin are vital for local health and are trusted local health access points.

Liberal Democrat MP Alison Bennett is calling for a new operator to be found so the Dolphin Pharmacy can be reopened. She is also calling for an end to pharmacy closures across Mid Sussex.