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The Pharmaceutical Defence Association (PDA) has urged health ministers of the UK to take a strict and necessary action against the unnecessary closures of pharmacy. Concerned over the rising number of pharmacy closures, PDA has written an open letter to health secretary Steve Barclay; Robin Swann, health minister for Northern Ireland; Eluned Morgan, minister of health and social services for Wales; and Humza Yousaf, the Scottish health secretary. In its letter, PDA said: "The minister of health must now ensure the regulation of poor business behaviours and be prepared to take over rogue pharmacies, however large their corporate owner may be. If patients' access to NHS services is to be protected from the consequences of avoidable full or part-day pharmacy closures." The association believes it is only a matter of time before serious harm to patients' health will be caused by the decisions of mainly large chains of pharmacies to close some of their branches for all or part of a day, instead of engaging an available pharmacist to cover their agreed opening hours. "While a small number of unforeseen closures have always occurred from time to time in pharmacies for genuine reasons, the indiscriminate scale at which closures have now become commonplace seems to have evolved over the last 20 months."

The Company Chemists' Association (CCA)'s research has found that between 2015 and 2022 more than 40 per cent of permanent community pharmacy closures took place in the 20 per cent most deprived parts of England. The association has analysed the NHS data and found that between 2015 and 2022, 808 pharmacies closed permanently in England. In that period, only 138 new pharmacies opened - a net loss of 670 community pharmacies. It also examined where permanent closures had taken place. "41% of net permanent closures had taken place in the top 20% most deprived areas in England. Meanwhile, only 9% of net permanent closures took place in the top 20% least deprived areas." Although the latest figures for 2021/22 suggest that the overall rate of closures may be slowing down, the proportion of pharmacies permanently shutting in more deprived areas has only increased. An even larger share of pharmacies that permanently shut in 2021/22 occurred in the most deprived areas compared with the previous fiscal year: 44% of net closures took place within the bottom two IMD deciles.

Two dozen parliamentarians from across the political spectrum have called on the prime minister to act as a wave of pharmacy closures in recent years has threatened to spiral out of control. A letter to the prime minister signed by 24 MPs and peers has warned that worse could be yet to come after "spiralling business costs" and "year after year of real terms funding cuts" have led to hundreds of pharmacy closures. New data from the PSNC shows that over 639 local pharmacies have been lost in England since 2016. "This is the equivalent to just short of one pharmacy closure per constituency", the cross-party group warned. The letter comes as MPs came together at a parliamentary summit to call for pharmacies to be embraced as a "game-changer" for tackling healthcare backlogs and taking pressure off other areas of the NHS. A 'Future of Pharmacy' event was attended by 53 parliamentarians on July 5 in the Palace of Westminster. At the event parliamentarians heard directly from frontline pharmacists and representatives of pharmacy bodies where a map of constituency-specific pharmacy numbers was also unveiled, with details of the number of pharmacy closures in MPs' local area.

Community pharmacy is stuck in a vicious circle. Pharmacies are closing at an alarming rate whilst the government is talking about moving care away from hospitals and into the community to focus on preventative care. While the government talks about this vision for the future, the stark reality is that pharmacies are already struggling to meet the current Pharmacy First thresholds. And now we discover that one of the key components that could create capacity in pharmacy to deliver more clinical services has been put on hold…indefinitely. The recently published Darzi review, which was commissioned after the new government came to power to assess the state of the NHS, praised the value of community pharmacies and preventative services. But it recognised the level of pharmacy closures across the country and warned pharmacy access could be 'at risk'. Community pharmacy is ideally placed to deliver the government's vision of preventative care in the community. But let's all be clear, moving preventative services into community pharmacies has, so far, been nowhere near as successful as it could have been due to the current climate pharmacies find themselves in. The Pharmacy First scheme is a testament to this. Just this week it was announced that consultation thresholds for the Pharmacy First scheme have been reduced from 30 consultations to 20. It's the second time in three months that the thresholds have been reduced and it follows an intervention from Community Pharmacy England who wanted to "save many pharmacies from missing out on a vital payment this month." In June alone, 3,269 participating pharmacies failed to meet the threshold - that's almost a third of all community pharmacies in England.

A worrying rise in pharmacy closures across England is disproportionately affecting older people and rural communities, according to a new report by Healthwatch England. Findings obtained through Freedom of Information (FoI) requests have exposed the scale of the issue, with over 436 permanent pharmacy closures recorded in 2023 and more than 13,800 temporary closures resulting in nearly 47,000 hours lost. The report, published on Thursday, paints a bleak picture of access to vital healthcare services, particularly in rural areas where pharmacy closures have hit hardest. The report found that Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in rural areas recorded a higher level of temporary pharmacy closures compared to ICBs in predominantly urban areas. Additionally, ICBs with a higher proportion of people over 60 years of age recorded a higher number of hours lost per pharmacy. Healthwatch chief executive Louise Ansari expressed concern about the impact on elderly populations, noting that the closures were undermining the government's flagship Pharmacy First programme, designed to relieve pressure on GP practices by allowing patients to seek care for common conditions at local pharmacies.

Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham, highlighted the impact of the community pharmacy closures in the Hampton area, and the severe financial challenges facing community pharmacies across England during an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on Friday. She also raised concerns about the impenetrable bureaucratic processes surrounding new pharmacy license applications and closures. Wilson highlighted the closure of two Boots pharmacies in Hampton last autumn, including one in the deprived ward of Hampton North. The Tangley Park pharmacy closure left the entire ward, which lacks adequate public transport, without a pharmacy, severely affecting elderly and vulnerable residents. "The nearest pharmacy is now a mile away on foot, a distance which is difficult to cover for the elderly and those with mobility issues, certainly more than a 20-minute walk, the measure that previous ministers like to use to highlight pharmacy accessibility," she said.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, during today's (15th May ) Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), reiterated his commitment to supporting community pharmacies amidst growing concerns over pharmacy closures. Addressing questions regarding the Pharmacy First initiative, Sunak assured the House of Commons of his dedication to bolstering resources for these vital healthcare providers. In response to a query raised by Member of Parliament, St Ives MP Derek Thomas, citing statistics from the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) about "committing to directing funds towards Community Pharmacy to alleviate financial pressure and prevent closures, Sunak remarked that he "cares deeply about the future of community pharmacies." Sunak acknowledged the indispensable role played by community pharmacists in alleviating pressure on urgent care services, emphasising the importance of initiatives like Pharmacy First in government's commitment to supporting community pharmacies. "There are over 10 and a half Community pharmacies across the country working incredibly hard to serve their patients," Sunak said praising the community pharmacists and highlighted the concerning trend of pharmacy closures, citing a significant increase compared to the previous year.

A recent survey conducted by YouGov for the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has highlighted concerning trends in the community pharmacy sector. The survey published on July 18 and conducted over two days in June this year reveals the subsequent challenges patients face due to the increasing pharmacy closure rates. The survey findings, conducted among 2,183 UK adults, indicates that 18 per cent of the respondents reported at least one pharmacy closure in their local area within the past year. Specifically, 12 per cent respondents noted closure of one pharmacy, while 6 per cent observed the shutdown of more than one. These closures are distributed across various regions, underscoring a nationwide issue rather than an isolated one.

Rural areas have been hit the hardest by a wave of pharmacy closures over the past two years, according to a new analysis by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). The analysis published today revealed that nearly nine in ten council areas across England have suffered the loss of vital pharmacies and warned that many rural areas risk becoming "pharmacy deserts" if the current closure rates continue. Additionally, the NPA, which represents independent community pharmacies, warned that England faces a significant risk to the availability of essential medicines if "a decade of underfunding and closures" is not addressed. It is calling on the government to reverse the 40 per cent real-terms cuts to community pharmacy budgets over the past decade, which have led to the closure of over 1,500 pharmacies and forced many others to reduce their opening hours. NPA Chief Executive, Paul Rees said: "These shocking statistics show how a growing number of areas are at risk of becoming pharmacy deserts, with people in rural towns and villages having to travel longer and longer distances to get hold of the medication they need.

The Company Chemists' Association (CCA)'s analysis on permanent closures of community pharmacies in England showed that there has been a net loss of 670 pharmacies between 2015 and 2022. The analysis highlighted that 37 per cent of permanent closures of pharmacies and GP practices have occurred in the 20 per cent most deprived parts of England. Current trends indicate that primary care 'cold spots' could soon emerge - areas where there is significantly reduced or inadequate access to a pharmacy or a GP. The CCA's analysis shows that some of the most deprived neighbourhoods concentrated in the North West, the West Midlands and Yorkshire have faced the highest losses of local pharmacies and GP practices since 2015. It demonstrates that the trend of permanent closures amongst pharmacies and GP practices is worsening. Moreover, this burden is likely to be felt unevenly with permanent closures occurring disproportionately in areas of high deprivation. Without action, deprived communities, where need is typically greater, may no longer be able to access the GP and pharmacy services they require.

A winter NHS crisis is inevitable unless the government acts now to reverse the worrying decline in community pharmacies. Years of government underfunding could see 3,000 pharmacies in England - around a third of the network - having no option but to shut their doors to patients in the next few years. That figure is based on independent assessments from Ernst & Young and UCL/LSE healthcare professors: it is not scaremongering - it is the reality the country faces. Fifty per cent of pharmacies are already in financial distress because government funding has been falling in real terms since 2019 and that figure is predicted to rise to 75 per cent within the next two years. The government needs to act now and invest in pharmacy or sleepwalk into a healthcare disaster as we have seen with access to dentistry care. Prescription volumes have risen consistently year-on-year by roughly 2 per cent which means fewer pharmacies doing more work and under greater pressure than a decade ago. Ten years ago around 11,200 pharmacies in England were dispensing roughly 79,000 prescriptions; nowadays around 11,500 are dispensing roughly 89,000 prescriptions. The secretary of state recently asked pharmacy to do more to avoid a winter NHS crisis and at the same time said there will be no new money to pay for those additional services. This at a time when the network is in decline with random unplanned pharmacy closures - 640 closures since 2016 - and pharmacy staff face huge workload pressures as prescription demand is increasing year-on-year. The government's approach to pharmacy literally does not add up: the pharmacy contract is not fit-for-purpose now let alone dealing with a NHS winter crisis.

This year has been another turbulent year for the UK pharmacy sector. The sector continues to undergo significant transformations, driven by evolving healthcare needs, regulatory shifts, and economic pressures. For pharmacy owners, staying abreast of these trends is crucial to navigating the challenges and seizing opportunities. IQVIA, a leading global provider of clinical research services, commercial insights and healthcare intelligence, delves into the key issues, challenges, and developments shaping the sector, drawing insights from the latest industry data and reports, supported with data released by NHS England (NHSE). The community pharmacy landscape remains unsettled, with disruptive market dynamics at play. The decline in the number of pharmacies, particularly within the Managed Chains channel, underscores the volatility of the market. The number of active pharmacy contractors in England has dropped significantly, with more closures than openings each month, exacerbated by the exit of Lloyds Pharmacy from the UK market which completed at the end of 2023. In the year ending June 2024, there was a net closure of 440 sites within NHSE which equates to a 4% decline in available pharmacies1. The increase in closures from June 2023 was driven by the closures of Lloyds in Sainsburys and the ongoing divestment of the Boots estate.

Lloyds Pharmacy's closure of all its 1,300 branches will wake-up the ministers and NHS officials to the reality of community pharmacy sector in England has reached crisis point, expressed Nigel Swift Managing Director of Rowlands pharmacy and Deputy Managing Director of PHOENIX UK. On Friday, The SUN reported that the UK's second largest pharmacy provider - is allegedly in the process of selling its entire estate of 1300 branches. Lloyds Pharmacy will no longer be a High Street presence following its decision to put all its pharmacy branches at the risk of closure. In January it has announced to close its 237 Sainsbury-based pharmacies. Nigel highlighted the fact that community pharmacy is struggling due to insufficient government funding and immense pressures on GPs and A&E departments - an ongoing issue which poses a very real threat to the sector. Commenting on the announcement, he said: "It's not just Lloyds - an independent analysis by Ernst & Young estimated that 75% of community pharmacies will be in financial distress in the coming years. £750 million has been taken out of the English contract due to inflation since it began."

The trade bodies and four largest pharmacy chains in England, have jointly written to the Secretary of State for Health, Steve Barclay, warning that the sector needs urgent investment for sustainability. The letter from AIMp, CCA, NPA, PSNC, Boots UK, Lloyds Pharmacy, Well, and Phoenix UK, warned that the 30 per cent real terms funding cuts that pharmacies have faced over the past seven years have left many businesses in a cashflow crisis. The letter said that the government is facing a choice over the future of the country's 11,000+ community pharmacies, with permanent closures likely and medicines supply at risk if no urgent action is taken. "If the funding situation is not addressed, the sector is likely to move rapidly towards many permanent closures of pharmacies." The organisations say that once these closures start, they will be hard to stop, as the sector is now so fragile other pharmacies would struggle to pick up the slack.

Analysis by IQVIA revealed that over the past four years, from May 2020 to May 2024, the average number of prescriptions processed by pharmacies has risen by 8 million per month. However, this is happening against the backdrop of a declining number of pharmacies. During these four years, nearly 900 pharmacies have closed in England, with almost 500 of those closures occurring in the last 12 months. Carol Alexandre, vice president at IQVIA, presented the data at the recent SIGMA UK Community Pharmacy Conference 2024, where she shared insights into the dynamics of the UK market, the pharmacy sector, and the Pharmacy First initiative. As of August 2024, there were just 10,059 community pharmacies (excluding distance-selling pharmacies) in England, 1,589 less than in March 2015, when the number stood at 11,647 (source: NHS BSA). There has been a significant shift in the distribution of pharmacy ownership, with independents (single pharmacies and chains with 1-5 stores) and regional chains (pharmacy chains with 6-200 stores) growing at the expense of managed chains.

YouGov polling commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has revealed that majority of the people responding to the poll said that they would be concern by the pharmacy closure in their locality. The results show the extent of the public backing for a Pharmacy First approach - PSNC has been arguing that a fully-funded service would be beneficial for pharmacies, patients and the wider NHS. The poll witnessed 1,774 adults' participation from England. It showed 68 per cent of people agree that they would find it easier to seek health advice for common conditions, such as skin conditions or indigestion, at a community pharmacy rather than a GP surgery. Only 11 per cent disagreed that this would be easier. While 75 per cent of people agree that they would like to see community pharmacies offering more healthcare services such as treating urinary tract infections or sore throats. Only 6 per cent strongly disagreed with this. When asked how important, if at all, are the services provided by community pharmacies to them, their family, or community, 78 per cent indicted this was very important. Only 14 per cent said this wasn't important. 77 per cent said they would be very concerned if the pharmacy they use most often were to close permanently. Only 19 per cent said they would not be very concerned.

The Pharmacists Defence Association (PDA) has expressed its interest to support pharmacists impacted with the latest announcement of the closure of Tesco pharmacies. "Tesco have followed ASDA and LloydsPharmacy (at Sainsbury's) to announce cost cutting changes to their stores, impacting hundreds of jobs," the association said. The PDA's interests in the announcement relate to the planned closure of eight in-store Tesco pharmacies and the impact of those closures upon pharmacists, however the union is of course concerned for all those impacted. The PDA Union will support individual PDA members impacted by the decision so that they are aware of, and can exercise, their rights at work in relation to this situation. Paul Day, PDA Union Director said, "In addition to the immediate impact on pharmacists employed at the stores marked for closure, this is the third instance in just twelve days of reductions in the overall access to a pharmacy for NHS patients. We expect those who represent communities to be concerned about the loss of a key part of their local NHS service."

A harsh funding regime that hasn't adapted to changing macroeconomic realities means the viability of large parts of the pharmacy sector is at risk unless the model changes. Very simply, across the sector, revenue has remained largely fixed while costs have increased significantly, making it impossible for many pharmacies to sustain their business models. The sector has seen the closure of more than 1,500 community pharmacies since 2015, with 700 of these closures occurring since 2021. Larger pharmacy operators such as Lloyds, Boots, and Rowlands have seen the biggest decline in numbers, with smaller businesses operating between one and five pharmacies now accounting for almost 50% of the sector. Despite rising inflation and business costs, the NHS pharmacy funding model has remained fixed. Over the period of the current Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) - 2019-2024 - pharmacies have experienced a 30% real terms cut in core funding leading to an annual shortfall of over £750 million, equivalent to £67,000 per pharmacy in England. The current CPCF is due to end in 2024, and there is still no arrangement in place for future funding, leading to delayed and inefficient spending decisions and hampering the ability of the sector to plan and attract much-needed investment.

'Community pharmacy is far too important to be allowed to wither away' desc-Thousands of pharmacies took part in the second day of the 'Save Our Pharmacies' protest organised by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) on Thursday. Similar to the first day of protest in June, pharmacies carried out several symbolic actions, such as blacking out windows, to warn of the threat of future closures. Meanwhile, NPA chief executive Paul Rees led a delegation of pharmacy leaders to deliver a 350,000-strong petition to No 10 Downing Street, calling for "immediate, fair and sustained funding to safeguard NHS pharmacy services and ensure local pharmacies have a future." The delegation included NPA Chair Nick Kaye; Janet Morrison, CEO of Community Pharmacy England (CPE); Malcolm Harrison, CEO of Company Chemists' Association (CCA), and Gerard Greene, CEO of Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI). Steve Race MP, who is the new chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy, and Sadik Al-Hassan, one of only two pharmacists in the House of Commons, also joined them.

A new report from Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has raised alarms about the severe financial challenges plaguing pharmacies across the sector, threatening their ability to provide even the core services for their patients. The findings are based on responses from over 6,100 pharmacy owners and 2,000 pharmacy staff who participated in the recent Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2024. The report reveals that spiralling costs and increased workloads, coupled with a 30 per cent funding cut in real terms since 2015, are putting countless pharmacies at risk of closure. "Nearly 1 in 6 may close within the next year," the report revealed. A vast majority (94 per cent) of pharmacy owners reported that they have seen significant increases in costs, with almost two-thirds (64 per cent) saying they are operating at a loss. Concerningly, these financial pressures are now affecting patient care, as 18 per cent of pharmacy staff reported severe impacts. The survey revealed that most pharmacies are experiencing longer prescription dispensing times (86 per cent), delays in responding to patient inquiries (80 per cent), and less time to spend with patients (79 per cent).