Lochardil Pharmacy in Inverness celebrates reopening
An Inverness pharmacy has officially reopened its doors after a car crashed through its front window earlier this year.
Lochardil Pharmacy and Travel Clinic has been recovering since January 22, when a black Nissan veered off the road and into the building, leaving the premises severely damaged.
Fortunately, no staff or patients were injured. The driver was taken to hospital for treatment.
Despite significant structural damage, Lochardil Pharmacy and Travel Clinic managed to stay open, serving patients via a rear entrance while repairs were under way.
Today, after months of restoration work, the pharmacy officially unveiled its refurbished premises - now featuring a new consultation room that will allow expanded healthcare services, including travel vaccinations, a weight management programme, point-of-care testing for diabetes and cholesterol, and advanced ear examination equipment.
• Pharmacist recalls ‘incredibly lucky’ escape as car smashed through Inverness store window
Sarah Buchanan, director of pharmacy at NHS Highland, joined the team to cut the ribbon.
“It's fantastic to see them fully functional,” she said. “The team have been delivering patient services since the day after the accident, which is truly remarkable.
“They put in a number of safety measures to make sure that patients could come in and use the back entrance to the pharmacy, and it's just worked wonderfully.”
Ms Buchanan praised the team’s resilience: “They’ve continued providing services for the patients locally, and haven't needed a whole lot of extra support from us as a board, but we were ready to support as and when was required.
“Today is about celebrating the whole team and their successes, through what has been probably the most challenging period they will ever see as a pharmacy, and just giving thanks to them for that.”
She added: “The community spirit today is the community saying thanks to the pharmacy for supporting them throughout this time. It's just wonderful to be here in the sunshine with the ice cream to say thank you to the pharmacy team and to relaunch Lochardill Pharmacy.”
John Mitchell, director of Lochardil Pharmacy, described the reopening as a ‘relief’.
He said: “In Lochardil, we've always been supported right from day one. We try and reflect that back in the community by trying our best every day, delivering new and better services, and really trying to meet the health needs of the area.
“It's great to see everyone show up today.
“Day-to-day we've tried various different methods on how to use the back door to try and make it as efficient as possible, but still a decent experience for the patient.
“We certainly don't take our front door for granted anymore, but we're looking forward to the future.”
Lochardil, part of a group of six pharmacies, was recognised as Community Pharmacy of the Year at the Scottish Pharmacist Awards in April, in part due to its exceptional response to the crash and its continued innovation.
Local resident Adrienne Dempster was among the attendees.
She said: “We really missed it. Although we could still get prescriptions, it's all the other services that they offer and things that they sell that we just couldn't get access to.
“I'm so delighted for the team because that must have been a terrible thing that happened and a real shock for them all.”
As part of the celebration, Miele’s Gelato was also on-site to provide some much-appreciated treats to staff, patients and the community.
