More than 280,000 people — the equivalent of a city the size of Newcastle-upon-Tyne — have seen their local pharmacies close in the first eight months of this year. New NHS data shows 51 high street pharmacies have added to the “tidal wave” of branches shut for good in England due to chronic underfunding between January and August.
The Mirror is campaigning to save family chemists and stop the closures, which are piling pressure on overstretched GPs. The relentless toll of closures has taken the network to its smallest level in 20 years.
This latest startling toll of closures includes 31 pharmacies on a Government programme to maintain vital access to medicines in healthcare shortage areas have closed for good. That’s despite the government providing the sector with its second uplift in a decade in May.
‘We need to act’
Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said it was a “tidal wave”. He added: “These are depressing figures and demonstrates the work to stabilise the pharmacy network that millions of patients depend on is not done yet.
“We need to act to prevent the permanent closure of pharmacies becoming the new normal at a time when Government and the public wants more care closer to people’s homes. Patients are being forced to travel long distances to access the medicines and support they need, particularly on weekends. The NHS Pharmacy Access Scheme provides additional funding to ensure there is access to pharmacy services in communities where there is no alternative nearby.”
NPA leaders, who represent around 6,000 community pharmacies across the country, have urged the government to fundamentally reform the NHS’s contract with pharmacies which means many pharmacies cannot rely on NHS income to keep them afloat. They called on government to close the £2 billion funding gap facing pharmacies.
Closures by the numbers
Since 2017, some 9.9 million people have seen their local pharmacy shut, around a fifth of the adult population of England. Mr Picard added: “It is particularly concerning to see closures of pharmacies that have been singled out for additional support due to their importance to the patients that use them and the lack of available alternatives in those areas.
“We recognise this government has provided pharmacies with desperately needed funding uplifts, but much of this had to go out the door to meet soaring costs including business rates and national living wage leaving pharmacies facing a yawning gap between their costs and the funding they receive from the NHS. We want to work with the government to fundamentally reform the pharmacy contract to achieve Ministers’ ambitions to bring care closer to home and end pharmacies being forced to dispense medicines at a loss.”
Patients forced to travel miles
The closure of a former Lloyds Pharmacy in Long Rock, Penzance has left patients with a one-hour-twenty-minute journey by public transport to access their nearest pharmacy on a Sunday, a 17-mile round trip. In Bishops Lydeard in Somerset, the closure of the local pharmacy has left patients with a 10-mile round trip to their nearest alternative. On the weekend, this is a one-hour-six-minute journey on public transport.
In Barnwood, Gloucester, the closure of a Lloyds Pharmacy has left patients with a 50-minute walk to their nearest pharmacy on a weekend or a one-hour-ten-minute round trip by public transport. In Bodmin in Cornwall, the closure of the Asda pharmacy has left patients with a 16-mile round trip to their nearest pharmacy open on a weekend, one-hour-ten-minutes on public transport.
Closures have forced patients to travel significant lengths to access emergency prescriptions. This risks putting pressure on other parts of the health system, with some patients potentially choosing to visit Urgent Care or even Accident and Emergency departments instead. Since 2017, 1,500 pharmacies have shut when funding was first cut to pharmacies by the previous government.
William Pett, Interim Director of Policy and External Affairs at Healthwatch, said: “People rely on their local pharmacy for timely advice and essential medication, so closures are a real worry. We hear from people about longer journeys to find an open pharmacy, particularly in rural areas, and this is particularly difficult for those with limited mobility or no access to transport. It is no surprise that some people end up turning to other parts of the NHS when they cannot get the help they need in their community.
“Our own research has shown that temporary and unplanned closures have disrupted care and caused anxiety for patients across the country. A plan for the future sustainability of community pharmacies is essential so the public can rely on consistent access to medicines and advice.”
