Bolton: Rigby & Higginson Pharmacist in shock after assault

Safwan Chhipa says that while was working at Rigby & Higginson Pharmacy in Westhoughton last Tuesday (December 20), a patient came in and asked to speak to a pharmacist in private.

He says that after taking him into the consultation room that he was asked for a particular medication, which they didn’t have due to stocking issues.

Safwan says he then advised the patient to either leave it with them until they were able to get it in stock or to try an alternative pharmacist or to speak to their doctor.

However, Safwan says the patient then returned and demanded the prescription, which resulted in him being assaulted.

A man in his 50s has since been arrested on suspicion of assault and has been cautioned, following reports of a “disturbance”.

He said: “It was shocking.

“He punched me in the back and got me in a headlock and I tried to stop it.

“He eventually did let go and walked out.

“On the day, it was a shock, and I didn’t know what was going on.

“You don’t want something like this to happen in a place of work.

“It’s a community pharmacy and no one should have this happen to them.”

He says that he was fine on the day but has since experienced lower back pains.

Safwan has also taken some time off work following the incident.

Dispensary assistant Hazel Darlington says she pressed the panic button and alerted police at the time.

She has worked at the pharmacy since 1984 along with technician Susan Roberts and has “never seen anything like it”.

Hazel said: “We are both very long serving employees.

“We have never ever seen anything like it.

“We all understand that people get frustrated from time to time, but we have never had to witness such anger or physical violence before.

“I completely understand anyone being upset or frustrated, and we all as a team try so hard to accommodate everyone.

“This was awful.

“Safwan is such a lovely person, and no one deserves to feel unsafe in their workplace.

“The attack was completely unprovoked and shocking.

“I pressed the panic button and rang the police as other team members went to try and calm the attacker down, I guess, and ask him to leave the premises.

“It all seemed to happen so fast.

“The support we have had from the community has been amazing.”

A spokesperson for GMP said: “At approximately 10am on Tuesday December 20, Greater Manchester Police were called to reports of a disturbance on Church Street, Bolton.

“Officers attended and a man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of assault and cautioned.”

In August more than half of those surveyed for the Pharmaceutical Journal believed patients had been put at risk in the last six months due to shortages.

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