THE INDEPENDENT Living store in Droitwich, ran by Simplyhealth, is closing, it has been announced.
The firm said it was a difficult decision to shut the shop which is one of ten across the country to close, included seven that are branded The Unlimited Company.
A total of 85 jobs, including some in care and mobility, have been affected by the decision and the company has said it would help the staff members individually.
Romana Abdin, Simplyhealth’s chief executive, said: “This is not the outcome we wanted when we created The Unlimited Company proposition.
“It was a very difficult decision to make, not just taking into account the thousands of customers that we have helped but because our own people will be affected.
“However, we remain committed to ensuring that people who need help with mobility or caring get the best advice and products possible.
“As someone with a disability myself I know there is a need for better support networks for people.
“Unfortunately it has become clear that physical shops are not a viable way forward for Simplyhealth and from a business viewpoint we have to ensure we look at better ways of providing people with the support they need.”
Raman Sankaran, Chief Commercial Officer for Simplyhealth, took over day-to-day running of The Unlimited Company in July 2017 and has led a planned review of the business.
He said: “We understand that health and care is one journey for customers and we will continue to focus on how best to meet their needs, both on our own, and by working with partners.
“Our new online eldercare guidance and advice proposition, Care for Life, which we launched as an employee benefit last week, is just one example of how we’re aiming to meet changing healthcare needs by being innovative and collaborative.”
Simplyhealth said it would explore different ways to meet the growing demand for advice and guidance in the health and care markets and had already developed Simplyhealth Care for Life, an online service providing a wide range of guidance, from access to legal, financial, care at home and care home information to finding a trusted trader or localised support services and help groups close to home.
Five of the company’s shops, in Northfield, Kenilworth, Willenhall, Wylde Green and Telford, will remain open while bosses try to find a buyer for that part of the business.
Customers with any queries can contact a dedicated team on 0808 271 6481.
