Firm under fire over weight-loss drug delays

COMPANY APOLOGISES AFTER CUSTOMERS LEFT WAITING FOR SUPPLIES & REFUNDS

- By JONATHAN BLACKBURN

A LIVERPOOL weight-loss drug supplier has come under fire after customers claimed they were left out of pocket and without access to medication.

One customer told the ECHO that Dr Frank's Weight Loss Clinic left her without medication or a refund for four months.

The firm, which has its headquarters at Queens Dock, has a clinic on Rodney Street.

The company is rated "requires improvement" overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after the watchdog received 50 formal complaints from disgruntled customers.

The CQC's report found improvement was required in the areas of safety and leadership but rated the company as "good" in all other areas. A CQC spokesman said a number of patients had contacted the watchdog to "complain about issues such as access to the customer services team, delayed or incorrect medicines and refunds", and an online forum has been set up where customers share issues they say they have had with the company.

The firm said a "small number" of its 40,000 customers had experienced delays and incorrect doses, struggled to contact customer service and experienced longer refund processing times, and apologised "unreservedly" to patients who "felt let down".

It is understood that the company laid off customer service staff in Liverpool in October because of what is said to be a decline in patient demand across the industry.

In August, some customer services work was outsourced to the Philippines.