Closure of Castle Pharmacy - FAQs

Due to unpreventable circumstances, Castle Pharmacy, Malew Street, Castletown has had to close abruptly at close of business on 20 April 2023.

Manx Care will be supporting patients to be able to obtain their prescriptions, and there is a dedicated phone number that patients can call from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm – +44 1624 642687. 

Why has the pharmacy closed without prior notice to the public?

The reasons for the closure are confidential to the Contractor, and cannot be disclosed. The closure is out of the control of Manx Care, however we are trying minimise the disruption and impact on patients. 

Is the pharmacy likely to re-open?

At this time it is not known if the pharmacy will re-open, and no date can be provided, therefore patients are advised to make alternative arrangements for the dispensing of their prescriptions.

If your prescription has been dispensed at Castle Pharmacy, but you have not yet collected it, you will not be able to access Castle Pharmacy to collect this dispensed medication. You will need a re-print of the prescription to take to a different pharmacy. To access a re-print of your prescription, please call the dedicated helpline on +44 1624 642687, where a member of Manx Care’s Primary Care team will take your details and arrange for a prescription to be re-printed. You do not need to attend your GP or book an appointment. You will be able to advise which local pharmacy you would like the prescription sending to instead, or if your preference would be to collect your prescription from your GP Practice so you are able to take it to a pharmacy elsewhere (other than one of the local 4 pharmacies in the South of the Island).

When patients ring the designated phone line on +44 1624 642687, where a member of Manx Care’s Primary Care team will request permission to access their GP record, and request a re-print of the prescription. The prescription can be sent to a local pharmacy of their choice (i.e. those listed below). The phone line will be open from 9am on Friday 21 April 2023.

If you are seeking to present your prescription to an alternative community pharmacy, please consider all options open to you (Lloyds Pharmacy Castletown is not the only option).

You may wish to consider the pharmacies local to the area (as they may be less busy):

• Costains Pharmacy, Ballasalla
• Lloyds Pharmacy, Castletown
• Clear Pharmacy, Port Erin and Port St Mary
• or a pharmacy close to where you work. 

What should I do if my medication has been dispensed at this pharmacy and I haven’t yet picked it up?

If your prescription has been dispensed at Castle Pharmacy, but you have not yet collected it, you will not be able to access Castle Pharmacy to collect this dispensed medication. You will need a re-print of the prescription to take to a different pharmacy. You will need to call the helpline on +44 1624 642687 to make arrangements for the collection of your medication or a re-print of the prescription to take to a different pharmacy. To access a re-print of your prescription, please attend your GP surgery, where a member of Manx Care’s Primary Care team will take your details and arrange for a prescription to be re-printed. 

What if I have completely run out of medication?

During the week, if you have completely run out of a medicine, please use the designated phone number on weekdays between 9am to 5pm to organise an emergency supply +44 1624 642687.

This weekend (22 and 23 April), if you have completely run out of a medicine, you will be able to receive an emergency supply of that medicine by contacting the Manx Emergency Doctors Service (MEDS) on +44 1624 650355. This out of hours support for an emergency supply will only apply to 22 and 23 April 2023, and will not continue into the next week.

Please note, if contacting the designated phone number or MEDS for an emergency supply, they will check your GP record to ensure you have run out and will only supply a very small amount for you to manage until proper arrangements can be made for ongoing supply. 

If you believe you have completely run out, please check your supply and contact +44 1624 642687 or MEDS as early as possible. There is no community pharmacy cover on Sunday 23 April. 

What is the process for accessing a re-print of a prescription?

To access a re-print of your prescription, please ring the helpline on +44 1624 642687, where a member of Manx Care’s Primary Care team will take your details and arrange for a prescription to be re-printed. You do not need to attend your GP or book an appointment. You will be able to advise which pharmacy you would like the prescription sending to, or if your preference would be to collect your prescription from your GP Practice. 

Again, it can be sent to another local pharmacy of your choice.

How do I notify my GP surgery that I wish for my prescriptions to be sent to another pharmacy?

On weekdays, you can use the designated phone line +44 1624 642687 between 9am and 5pm to request for your prescriptions to be sent to another pharmacy, and your GP record will be amended accordingly.

You also have the option to email your surgery directly, notifying the practice which pharmacy you would like your prescription to be sent to.

Alternatively, you can collect your prescription from the surgery and take it to the pharmacy of your choice.

Note: please do not use your GP practice’s general phone number with your queries, as this is likely to prevent urgent appointment requests from reaching the surgery. Please use the designated number +44 1624 642687.

What are my alternative pharmacies?

Alternative pharmacies in the south of the Island:

View a list of all community pharmacies is the Isle of Man. 

View the Pharmacies Sunday rota from April to June 2023.