Thousands of pharmacies across England will cut short their opening hours unless they receive a large injection of public money in a funding row with the government.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) is advising its 6,000 member pharmacies in England to reduce opening hours and services, if no new and sufficient funding is delivered to offset Labour budget measures hitting employers.
“Closing early will no doubt impact on accessibility to pharmaceutical care for patients and the vulnerable communities and the elderly will end up suffering,” Dr Leyla Hannbeck CEO of Independent Pharmacies Association told The Independent.
The trade association said it has “been left with little choice” as the sector braces for hikes in employers’ national insurance rates and a rise in the national living wage which will set pharmacies across England back by £250m. The NPA wants funding to at least cover these extra costs and work to address the £1.7bn historic funding gap.
Dr Hannbeck warned that many pharmacies “simply cannot afford to open” and were already closing early across the country due to funding issues forcing patients to “travel longer journeys to get to the next pharmacy.”
Dr Hannbeck said that the treasury and ministers need to start realising this underfunding will have a massive impact on patient care and increase the workload of the NHS if pharmacies close.
Around 90 per cent of an average pharmacy’s work is funded via the NHS, including dispensing medication and vaccinations as well as paying their staff. But according to the NPA, pharmacies are yet to receive any confirmation of funding for the 2024/25 or the 2025/26 financial years.
The advice from the NPA could mean independent pharmacies serving notice on opening hours, leading to fewer being open during the evening and at weekends. Free home deliveries could also stop, with some services, such as providing emergency contraception and smoking cessation, withdrawn.
Nick Kaye, chairman of the NPA, said the body was advising its members to reduce their pharmacy opening hours or take other steps to limit costs in the short term, in order to safeguard patient services for the long term.
“This is not a step anyone of us wants to take, but we have been left with little choice because in just two weeks’ time new business costs will be hitting local NHS pharmacies across the country,” he said. “It is better that we temporarily reduce access in the short term than to let pharmacies collapse altogether under the weight of unsustainable operating costs.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said officials were reaching a settlement with the sector that would help it to provide appropriate services for patients and the wider community.
“Community pharmacy has a vital role to play as we shift the focus of the NHS out of hospitals and into the community,” the spokesperson said, and warned “pre-emptive action” by the NPA would cause unnecessary disruption for patients.
Deborah Grayson, a locum pharmacist based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, already said she already sees long queues on Saturday’s and fears a reduction in hours will have a “knock-on impact on patients”.
She added that it will reduce accessibility for the pharmacy first scheme that sees patients use their pharmacy to treat minor illnesses instead of going to the GP.
TV pharmacist Thorun Govind added: “You can’t ask pharmacists to take on more work from GPs and then underfund them and expect the system to carry on.”
In November, about 3,300 independent community pharmacies took part in the unprecedented NPA ballot on collective action, meaning they can stop or reduce certain work as a way of collectively expressing concerns.
Of those who voted, 97.8 per cent said they would serve notice on opening hours above the minimum required by their contract, meaning fewer will be open at evenings and weekends.
Pharmacies are contracted to open for 40 hours a week minimum, although most are open for 50 hours a week on average, the NPA said.
