Skip to content
Search
Please enter at least 3 characters.

Latest Stories

Pharmacist wife of Kamsons co-founder dies aged 62

Sunila Chotai, wife of Bharat Chotai, director of Kamsons Pharmacy, passed away on Sunday in a hospital near Brighton after losing her brave battle against cancer. She was 62 and is survived by Bharat and their two children Rikesh and Raakhi.

In a message, the family said Sunila died "peacefully in the presence of her family on May 1" at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.


Born in Jinja, Uganda, Sunila was among the tens of thousands of Ugandan Indians who came to England in the 70s to escape persecution from military dictator Idi Amin.

She worked as a pharmacist in community and hospital settings and as an inspector of healthcare premises for the Care Quality Commission at one point.

Ravi Vaitha, prescribing lead pharmacist and senior manager for Kamsons Pharmacy, commented: “Suni was an amazing pharmacist with a great range of knowledge and experience. She lit up any room she walked into. She had the amazing talent of making everyone feel important and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.”

Sunila also undertook voluntary work with the Brighton Hindu Temple and until a few weeks ago was still helping at the Brighton Street Kitchen, a group working to help the homeless community.

She married Bharat, who, along with brothers Bipin and Piyoosh, founded the family-owned pharmacy chain in 1979 in Uckfield, East Sussex where the first Kamsons Pharmacy was opened. In just over four decades, the company has now grown to 80 pharmacies and employs over 1,000 people.

Piyoosh Chotai sadly died in January 2020 at the age of 69.

More For You

NHS pharmacy funding not enough 2025: £3.073B deal with £1.99B gap fuels reform debate.

Funding alone isn’t going to be enough to save community pharmacy

Photo credit: gettyimages

New funding contract ‘not enough’ to release the sector from financial blackhole

After almost a year without an agreement, a new funding contract for community pharmacy was finally announced yesterday (31 March).

The settlement raises the baseline annual funding for the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) in 2025/26 to £3.073 billion, with an additional £215 million secured to continue Pharmacy First and other Primary Care Recovery Plan services.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pharmacy First: Government confirms £215 million boost to realise its full potential

From April 2025, the consultation fee for Pharmacy First Minor Illness and Clinical Pathways will rise from £15 to £17.

‘Pharmacy First hasn't realised its full potential,’ says Stephen Kinnock

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock has acknowledged that Pharmacy First has huge potential, noting that the service “hasn't realised its full potential.”

As part of efforts to enhance the service, Kinnock yesterday (30) announced £215 million in additional funding for Pharmacy First and other Primary Care Access Recovery Plan services.

Keep ReadingShow less
Free morning-after pill at pharmacies to end postcode lottery for patients

Pharmacy technicians will be allowed to supply of drospirenone for contraception under PGD,

gettyimages

Pharmacy contract: Free morning-after pill to be available at pharmacies soon

The UK government has announced that, for the first time ever, the ‘morning-after pill’ or emergency contraceptive pill will be available free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS, ending the postcode lottery women face in accessing the medicine and reducing inequalities.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed a record £3.073 billion funding package for community pharmacies in 2025/26, alongside an additional £215 million to sustain Pharmacy First and other Primary Care Recovery Plan services.

Keep ReadingShow less
Royal College status: The PDA calls for ‘meaningful and collaborative dialogue’

The profession’s success will depend on collaboration across all sectors, says PDA.

gettyimages

Royal College vote: Less than 7% of GB pharmacists in favour, says PDA

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has criticised the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) for moving too quickly to a ballot on its proposed transition to a Royal College, arguing that it resulted in low participation from pharmacists in Great Britain.

Announcing the results of the special resolution vote, the RPS said that the outcome was a “clear mandate” in favour of the transformative change.

Keep ReadingShow less
RPS Wales calls for urgent investment in pharmacy workforce at Senedd meeting

Third from the left: Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales

Photo credit: RPS

Invest in pharmacy workforce: RPS Wales urges Senedd members

Members of the Senedd (MSs) were briefed on the increasing pressures facing pharmacy teams and the urgent need for action to support their health and wellbeing at an event hosted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Wales.

The event, held on Wednesday, brought together MSs, including first minister Eluned Morgan, to discuss the findings of RPS’ latest Workforce Wellbeing Survey.

Keep ReadingShow less