Lambeth

Why I work in Lambeth “The pharmacy is in the booking hall of Stockwell tube station. Most of our customers, around 80 per cent, are to do with prescriptions, only 20 per cent are those just passing by. I’ve worked in Lambeth most of my working life and in the area a lot of our customers have strong family ties so we get to know them well and build up a professional relationship with them.” — Leke Adefara, pharmacy manager, Harfleur Chemist, Stockwell tube station.

Population 266,169

Local authority Lambeth borough council is Labour-controlled. It is a three star “improving well” authority according to the performance assessment by the audit commission.

MPs Three, all Labour: backbenchers Kate Hoey (Vauxhall); Chuka Umunna (Streatham); and Tessa Jowell, former Cabinet Minister, Paymaster General and Minister for the Olympics who is MP for Dulwich and West Norwood.

Health service Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust provides “good” services and makes “excellent” use of resources; King’s College Hospital NHS foundation trust has “fair” services and makes “excellent” use of its resources; Lambeth Primary Care Trust, offers “good” services and “excellent” use of resources. Mental health services are provided at the renowned South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust “excellent” use of resources and services in neighbouring Southwark.

Pharmacy school None in the borough, but the capital boasts pharmacy schools at King’s College, London, and the School of Pharmacy, University of London.

Local pharmaceutical committee Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham LPC represents 179 pharmacies, 60 of them being in Lambeth.
Society branch The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has its headquarters in Lambeth. Currently the organisation has a workforce of 351 of whom 112 are pharmacists. The Society’s South East Metropolitan branch includes Lambeth. It has 721 members; six fellows; 71 preregistration trainees and 71 technicians.

Open space The Thames is within walking distance of the north of the borough. There is also a range of parks and open spaces notably Clapham Common and Brockwell Park with its own lido. Lambeth is also  home to national attractions including the South Bank complex; the London Eye; Imperial War Museum and Oval cricket ground.

Schools Outstanding primary schools: Durand; St John the Divine; St Judes and Streatham Wells. Outstanding secondaries: Stockwell Park High School; La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls’ School and St Martin In the Fields High School for Girls. The borough is also home to the first ever parent-promoted school, directly established by parents supported by the local authority. Elmgreen, which has so far only enrolled two years after opening in 2007 is a “good” school.

Commuter links There are excellent tube and bus links to the centre of London. The Victoria line bisects the borough with stations at Brixton; Stockwell and Vauxhall.

Property prices Huge variation in prices from former council homes to Georgian listed terraces. Two bed flat: £200k to £300k; three-bed semi: £250k to £350k; four bed detached: £600k to £800k plus.