Page 2 - Malcolm Harrison News Today

There was a loss of 432 pharmacies in the 12 months ending April 2024, which is on average more than one a day

The Pharmaceutical Journal from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

The Pharmaceutical Journal from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

A rise in overheads and a shortfall in the amount they are paid for dispensing medication means record numbers of pharmacies are closing their doors.

Launching across England today, the Pharmacy First service allows pharmacists to offer expert advice and provide medicines for seven common conditions.

The pharmacy – or chemist’s – as we affectionately called it, used to be the beating heart of the high street. A familiar face would dispense anything from advice for an earache to the right factor of sunscreen to take on holiday. But for many of us, the local pharmacy is no more as local branches close and the friendly faces behind the counter become increasingly overworked and out of pocket.

The Pharmacy First scheme, which launches on Wednesday, could fail as too many chemists are quitting for jobs in GPs. The CCA is now demanding an immediate recruitment freeze.

Pharmacists will be given extra powers to see and treat patients from this Wednesday and free up as many as 30 million GP appointments per year.

The Pharmaceutical Journal from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Chemists say relying largely on GP surgeries in England and Wales to deliver the vaccine is flawed as patients often struggle to secure appointments.