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The pharmacy chain has already announced plans to permanently close hundreds of its branches across the UK to consolidate its portfolio of 2,200 stores to 1,900. Two of its branches in North Wales will be closed next year, with its site in Rhos on Sea set to close its doors in March 2024 and the shop in Colywn Bay the following month. In a statement obtained by The Sun, Clwyd West MP David Jones has branded the closures "hugely bad news for the local community". He added that it is not "a case of simple shop closures," but "another body blow for the local retail economy." The Station Road shopping centre, where the Colwyn Bay store is located, has already seen the closure of several other prominent stores, including WHSmith, the MP stated. The closure of two Boots stores will leave many people "extremely worried as to how they will be able to obtain essential medicines," he added.

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.

High street pharmacy giant Boots permanently shut down two more branches on Saturday (March 16) as it moves forward with its plan to close 300 stores. The Wrightson House branch at the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Teesside and the Aslake Close pharmacy in Sprowston were closed for good, according to BirminghamLive. The pharmacy giant and chemist announced that all their prescriptions from its branch in Sprowston will be moved to Lawson Road Health Centre, with the nearest Boots branches located in London Street and Aylsham Road. The closure of the branch at the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Teesside was confirmed to the public with a notice placed in the shop window, informing customers about nearby Boots stores to collect their prescriptions. The notice reads: "We are closing. This store will close, on March 16, 2024. Your nearest store for collecting prescriptions will be Thornaby Health Centre, Trenchard Avenue, TS17 OEE. Other stores nearby are: 12-14 High Street, Teesside Retail Park, Norton, TS20 1DN 21B Goodwood Square, TSI7 7BW."

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.

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.