Group items tagged

"I dread the day, the accountant turns to me and says 'this isn't working' - as an owner, we shelter our patients and teams from the financial pressures we feel on a daily basis," shares S.G Barai Pharmacy owner, Reena Barai. Today, S.G Barai Pharmacy in Sutton, Surrey joined pharmacies nationwide in the #SaveOurPharmacies day of action, organised by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) to spotlight the critical funding crisis facing community pharmacies across the UK. Recent figures reveal that over the past decade, more than 1,400 pharmacies have closed in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with additional closures looming in Scotland due to financial pressures. The NPA reports that three-quarters of pharmacies are operating at a loss, exacerbated by real-terms cuts to funding. "We turned our lights off and wore black today to symbolize the precarious situation pharmacies like ours are facing," said Reena Barai who owns the pharmacy.

There is a state of "emergency" across the community pharmacy sector, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned. The organisation is holding a day of protest action, called 'One Day to #SaveOurPharmacies', on 20 June to draw attention to the sector's growing crisis. During the protest, pharmacy teams across the UK are expected to take a range of symbolic actions - such as turning the lights out for a period, asking their staff to wear black, blacking out windows, using the day to engage with patients, inviting parliamentary candidates and using #saveourpharmacies on social media - signifying dark times for the beleaguered community pharmacy sector, the NPA said. The organisation decided to choose 20 June for the protest as it marks the day from which the average pharmacy across the four nations will be "lossmaking overall."

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has written to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) to highlight several important points regarding their proposed "day of action" on 20 June 2024. The NPA describes this initiative as a response to the "emergency across the community pharmacy sector." In a letter addressed to NPA Chair Nick Kaye and Chief Executive Paul Rees, the PDA's director of pharmacy, Jay Badenhorst stressed the need for NPA members to consider their obligations to staff and patients before participating in the planned actions. He stated, "We are supportive of a new contractual framework for the community pharmacy sector." "However, any actions taken must ensure the safety of patients and the operational integrity of pharmacies." The PDA's letter also expressed concerns over the safety and operational impact of the proposed symbolic gestures, including turning off lights and blacking out windows.

"Not improving our funding is not an option, if they want to continue to deliver anything like the level of patient care we have done in recent years," he emphasised as he prepares for the NPA'S Save Our Pharmacies Day of Action (June 20). Over the past two years, McElrea has navigated crises stemming from NHS Scotland policies, particularly concerning medicines price inflation and delayed payments. "The cost of medicines increased rapidly compared to inflation," McElrea stated, noting NHS Scotland's slow response in adjusting tariff prices. "This wiped out £50,000 of cash reserves and forced us into £30,000 of additional borrowings." Delayed payments further strained operations, with McElrea highlighting the impact of payments based on outdated pricing.