Pharmacies Vote to Cut Hours Within Weeks in Funding Row

Pharmacies have said they will halt a number of services within weeks, including free medicine deliveries and extended opening hours, unless the government drastically increases funding for the sector to stem an "escalating crisis".

- Sammy Gecsoyler

In a high-turnout ballot run by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents independent community pharmacies, 99% of pharmacy owners said they were willing to limit their services in the interests of patient safety if improved funding was not forthcoming. A total of 63.5% of members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part, representing 3,399 independent community pharmacies.

Leaders in the sector warned that a failure to boost funding for pharmacies would lead to further closures and said the "sense of anger" among pharmacy owners had intensified after the budget, citing the 6.7% increase in the national minimum wage and rise in employer national insurance (NI) contributions.

Unless funding for pharmacies is increased in the coming weeks, pharmacy owners have voted to: