Boots boss steps down

Boots' US parent company, Walgreens Boots Alliance, said Simon Roberts would be leaving in July “to pursue new opportunities” after 13 years with the company - the last three as President of Boots.

A recent investigation by The Guardian caused scandal after it was revealed managers were directing their pharmacists to provide medicine-use reviews (MUR) to customers who did not need them, in order to claim public money from the NHS.

The NHS pays £28 for each MUR; which is carried out by a pharmacist and intended to give patients professional advice on health, diet and how to manage their medicines.

The company’s pharmacists also alleged that a drive to cut costs was endangering patients and putting the pharmacists themselves under unreasonable pressure – in some cases affecting their own health.