Staff shortages forced pharmacies to shut for 100,000 hours in a year, figures show, just as the government has unveiled plans to shift more GP work their way.
The data, shared exclusively with The Independent by the organisation which represents pharmacies in England, revealed that chemists in the most deprived areas were more likely to shut permanently due to lack of staff, with areas such as Birmingham and Manchester among the worst affected.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) figures come as the government announced plans on Tuesday to allow pharmacists to prescribe medicines for conditions including earache, sore throats and urinary tract infections without GP involvement.
This story is from the May 11, 2023 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the May 11, 2023 edition of The Independent.
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