Pharmacies vote for cuts unless UK government takes action over ‘crisis’
Pharmacies have said they will cut a number of services within weeks, including the end of free drug delivery and extended opening hours, unless the government dramatically increases funding for the sector to curb an “escalating crisis”.
In a high-turnout vote by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents independent community pharmacies, 99% of pharmacy owners said they would be willing to limit their services in the interests of patient safety if better funding were not provided.
A total of 63.5% of members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland participated, representing 3,399 independent community pharmacies.
Industry leaders warned that the failure to boost funding for pharmacies would lead to further closures and said the “sense of anger” among pharmacy owners had increased after the Budget, citing the 6.7% increase in the national minimum wage % and the increase in the national employer salary. insurance premiums (NI).
Unless funding for pharmacies is increased in the coming weeks, pharmacy owners voted to:
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Please allow for opening hours above the minimum required in their contract, which means fewer pharmacies will be open in the evenings and on weekends.
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Stop providing free home delivery of medicines that are not financed.
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Withdraw from local services, including some local services for addiction treatment, emergency contraception and smoking cessation support.
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Refuse to cooperate with certain data requests that go beyond those required for patient safety and contractual minimum requirements.
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Stop providing free controlled dose systems (drug packs) for which the NHS does not pay them, except those covered by the Disability Discrimination Act.
Nick Kaye, the chairman of the NPA, said he had “never experienced a situation as desperate as this”. He said: “Pharmacies are desperate to support their local communities with access to medicines and advice, but have been forced into an untenable position by a decade of underfunding, which has led to a record number of closures.
“The sense of anger among pharmacy owners has been increased exponentially by the budget, which has pushed even more pharmacies to the brink. Pharmacies do not want to reduce services, but we have no choice but to suggest that pharmacy owners should consider taking action based on the clear voting results if the government does not act to protect this vital and much-loved part of our healthcare system. ”
Dr. Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said: “The community pharmacy sector is in an escalating crisis with a £1.7 billion shortfall in funding. This has been made worse by the increase in employer status, which results in an additional £12,000 in annual costs for our members. As healthcare professionals, we believe that patients should not suffer as a result of the withdrawal of our members’ valuable and essential professional services.”
The association said more than 1,250 pharmacies have closed in the past decade, including 700 in the past two years alone.