Pharmacy owners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland vote to reduce their opening hours to protest funding cuts
Sector leaders have welcomed the NPA ballot results, which demonstrate that community pharmacies are prepared to take collective action if a funding increase is not achieved.
Nearly all pharmacy owners, who participated in the NPA ballot, said they were willing to limit their services to protest funding cuts.
Commenting on the poll results, Malcolm Harrison, CEO of the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) said: “The results of the NPA ballot serves to underline the huge pressure that pharmacy contractors face, following a decade of underfunding.
He emphasised the need to start the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) renegotiations for 2024/25 without delay.
“The government and NHS must uplift all elements of the contractual framework, to stop further reductions in pharmacy opening hours and permanent pharmacy closures, and to ensure that patients can continue to receive the medicines and clinical care and advice they need,” he added.
Harry McQuillan, Chairman of Numark, stated that while the NPA ballot outcome has once again brought the financial crisis facing the sector into focus, this is “an everyday reality” for many independent pharmacies and that it has reached “breaking point.”
He warned that rising operational costs including the increase in national insurance and minimum wage will push many more to the brink.
“Independent community pharmacies need immediate, sustainable funding from the Government to keep their doors open. Without action, more closures are inevitable, and the ripple effect on community healthcare will be profound,” he added.
Over 63 per cent of NPA members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part in the poll– representing 3,049 independent community pharmacies in England alone, or 3,399 with Wales and Northern Ireland included.
Over 70 per cent of members in Northern Ireland and about 56 per cent in Wales took part in the poll.
Nearly 98 per cent of pharmacy owners in England, 89 per cent in Wales and over 99 per cent in Northern Ireland voted to reduce their opening hours to the minimum required by their contract. This could result in fewer pharmacies remaining open during evenings and weekends Read More…..
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