Rowlands Pharmacy has acquired 30 LloydsPharmacy branches in Scotland. Over 70 directly owned branches will now form part of the wider Numark network in the country.

Commenting on the purchase, Nigel Swift, managing director of Rowlands, said: “This is a significant investment in growing our network north of the border and further reinforces our presence in Scotland. We welcome our new colleagues into the Numark family.”

“We are investing in Scotland in the expectation that support from the Scottish government [for pharmacy] will continue in the years ahead to recognise the critical role of community pharmacy at the beating heart of healthcare provision from illness prevention through to long-term condition management,” he continued.

In England, Rowlands welcomed the proposed investment of £645m to provide more patient services over the next two years, Mr Swift added. However, the company shared widely expressed concerns that this may not be sufficient to halt the current rate of pharmacy closures and mergers.