Pharmacy reopens on UEA campus
By: Communications
UEA students, staff and residents in the local community once again have on-campus access to medicine, thanks to a new partnership between the University and an independent pharmacist.
Bluebell Road pharmacy, which is open to students, staff and residents in the community, has been taken over by new independent pharmacist Anand Patel and reopens on Thursday 9 October.
The opening of the new pharmacy will mean that students, staff and local residents are once again able to easily access medicine on campus, after Boots closed its campus-based pharmacy in 2023. The new pharmacy will be based in the same location as the medical centre on University Drive, at the Bluebell Road entrance to campus, with universal eligibility to register regardless of location or surgery.
Anand Patel said: “I am looking forward to joining the UEA community and establishing a new community pharmacy shop on UEA’s campus, next door to the University Medical Centre. The pharmacy will be universally accessible to all, with car parking right on its doorstep providing easy access to those using disability aids, and the campus has always been an attractive place to visit for peaceful greenspace and recreation.”
All NHS Pharmacy First consultation and advice services will be provided on-site and in-person between the hours of 8.30am and 6pm from Monday to Friday and between 9am and 12.30pm on Saturday.
Anand continues: “We will be able to offer NHS professional advice and support with common illnesses and health needs alongside drug addiction services, sexual health, and immunisation services. The pharmacy will also be able to provide medication supplies against private and NHS prescriptions, as well as emergency supplies for those in need of urgent help.
“The pharmacy aims to integrate itself within the UEA and local Norwich communities and will have open lines of communication for feedback in store for suggestions on chemists’ goods, health and beauty products and snacks, and services that people would like to see on offer. I look forward to welcoming you all to your new pharmacy service.”
Image: Pharmacist Anand Patel preparing to give Vice-Chancellor Prof David Maguire a flu vaccination
Becky Price, Deputy Director of Student Education and Experience Strategy Delivery at UEA, said: “UEA is so pleased to be sharing this fantastic news for our student and staff community and grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to secure new pharmacy provision on our campus.
“Whilst the pharmacy closure in 2023 was beyond the University’s control, we heard from many students that having a pharmacy on campus is important to them, and about the concern and complications that the closure had caused them. Listening to our students is at the heart of UEA’s student experience, so we have been working hard to do all we can to address this and are so pleased that this need will now be met.”
The pharmacy building has remained vacant since July 2023, in part due to Boots terminating their NHS pharmacy contract for the UEA campus branch before the pharmacy’s ownership could be transferred to new management. This termination meant that Anand Patel had to start from the beginning of the process and apply for a new pharmacy contract, which was submitted to the NHS in October last year and has only recently received approval.
Last year, there was also an appeal launched against the pharmacy on campus reopening, which resulted in further delays while the complaint was considered and later overturned by Primary Care Support England (PCSE).
Amjad Daher, Communities and Culture and Diversity Officer at uea(su), has been a supporter for the pharmacy’s reopening. He said: “The reopening of the campus pharmacy is amazing news for our student community, staff, and local residents. Having such an essential service back on campus will make day-to-day life easier, healthier, and safer - particularly for those with accessibility needs or without transport into the city.”
“This has been a long process, but it shows the power of student voice and collective action. UEA’s Disabled Students' Community made it clear how important this facility was to them, and I’m proud that their campaigning and persistence have helped bring the pharmacy back. It’s not just about convenience, it’s about ensuring that everyone in our community has fair access to vital healthcare and support, right here on campus.”
Clive Lewis, MP for Norwich South, who has supported and previously called for the pharmacy facility to be reinstated, said: “The reopening of the UEA campus pharmacy is fantastic news for students, staff, and the wider community. Access to medicines and healthcare advice on site makes a real difference, and it’s a testament to the persistence of campaigners who fought to bring this service back. This is a win for everyone who relies on the university as part of their daily lives.”
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