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Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Scotland has submitted its evidence to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee's inquiry into 'Healthcare in remote and rural areas.' The Committee had sought views on what policies and actions would be most effective in addressing the issues people face when accessing healthcare in these areas. During the evidence session today (19 December), Laura Wilson, Director for RPS Scotland, highlighted the challenges faced by pharmacists and pharmacy in remote and rural areas, as well as provided some of the solutions for ensuring a sustainable pharmacy workforce. At present, people living in remote and rural areas of Scotland are required to travel to Glasgow or Aberdeen to undertake pharmacy training. Laura underscored the need to develop alternative education and training pathways, such as "grow your own" models, to support remote and rural areas to develop and retain local pharmacists.

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.

The Dispensing Doctors' Association (DDA) is advising patients left deserted due to pharmacy closures in rural areas to consult their general practice about accessing the GP dispensing service. This recommendation comes in response to concerns that England's rural areas are increasingly becoming pharmacy 'deserts', posing challenges for residents to access essential medications and healthcare services. DDA chairman Dr Richard West said: "The GP dispensing service is designed to ensure NHS medicine supply in areas where people have little or no access to a pharmacy service. "People in rural areas who now live more than a mile from a pharmacy should speak to their GP about whether they can receive the NHS GP dispensing service."

Raymond Kelly, an award-winning pharmacist from Glasgow, has restored the historic Liquorstane Building in Falkland and turned it into a modern-day pharmacy serving rural communities, using a £750,000 refinance loan from Unity Trust Bank. The once derelict 19th century building in Fife now has Raymond's Lomond Pharmacy on the ground floor while the top floor has been revamped as holiday let apartments. Raymond, who was named Scottish Pharmacist of the Year as a manager at Rowlands Group before opening his own pharmacies in Falkland, Kinglassie and Charlston, also used part of the funding to expand healthcare provision for a local aging population. He runs the pharmacy alongside business partner Audrey McAnaw, three dispensers and two drivers, delivering much-needed frontline services for surrounding villages as well as tourists coming to the picturesque area, where 'Outlander' movie was filmed.

The Indian Government has proposed to increase the allocation for the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) from INR 8,207 million in 2006-07 to INR 9,947 million in 2007-08 in this year budget.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has revealed shocking figures showing that millions of patients across England have lost access to pharmacies due to widespread closures and reduced operating hours. According to NPA analysis of NHS data, around 1,250 pharmacies have permanently closed since 2017, and the majority of these closures have come in the last three years. Given that each pharmacy serves an average of 5,600 people, this decline in pharmacy numbers means that about 7 million people-equivalent to one in eight of England's population-have seen their local pharmacy shut down since 2017. Furthermore, NPA analysis found that pharmacies in England were open for 551,000 hours a week in 2024, down from 620,000 at the same time in 2022, a reduction of around 7 million hours in the last two years. Rural areas were particularly impacted, with Cambridgeshire, Wiltshire, Kent and Devon losing maximum hours of pharmacy care and time.