A debate will take place in Parliament to raise the alarm about hundreds of chemists shutting – as campaigners urge the Government to stump up more cash for the high street lifelines
MPs will tomorrow warn of “pharmacy wastelands” amid growing anger at the closure of high street chemists.
Some 720 pharmacies have shut in seven years and analysts believe up to 1,000 could be permanently closed by January. They called on the Government to inject more cash and save the vital lifelines. Company Chemists’ Association chief executive Malcolm Harrison said: “Community pharmacies are the backbone of local communities.
“For them to do even more for the NHS, and to free up GP capacity, we need far greater ambition, certainty and funding for pharmacies. The current funding shortfall is at least £67,000 per year, per pharmacy in England. “Underfunding has led to 720 pharmacies closing permanently between 2015 and November 2022. We fully expect that number to reach 1,000 before the end of 2023.”
Tomorrow’s Westminster Hall debate has been arranged by the Backbench Business Committee. Conservative MP for Waveney, Suffolk, Peter Aldous warned: “Community pharmacies are embedded in all our communities, they are the silent partners of the health and care system – all of a sudden, there are fewer of them on our high streets.