The four English counties hardest hit by pharmacy crisis

Up to 7 million people in England, roughly one in eight of the population, have seen their local pharmacy shut since 2017, analysis by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) reveals.

The NPA, which represents around half of the UK’s 12,000 independent pharmacies, has warned the Government that patients face reduced access to medication.

Pressure on those pharmacies that remain will only grow more severe unless urgent action is taken to reverse cuts to pharmacy budgets, the NPA added.

Cambridgeshire, Wiltshire, Kent and Devon have been particularly affected by recent closures.

Kent had 109,000 hours of pharmacy time lost in the past two years, Wiltshire lost 41,000 hours, Cambridgeshire 46,000 and Devon 49,000 hours, according to the analysis.

The NPA also estimates 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 have been particularly affected as pharmacies have been forced to cut their opening hours or close altogether due to the impact of 40 per cent cuts to funding in the past decade.

The i Paper revealed in November 2024 that some patients are being forced to travel up to 40 miles to obtain common medicines due problems with the supply of drugs.

The analysis, based on NHS data, also shows that around 1,250 pharmacies have had to shut since 2017.

As pharmacies each serve an average of 5,600 people that means that up to 7 million people have had their local pharmacy close, around one in eight of England’s population, the NPA said.

Most of these closures have come in the past three years.

Nick Kaye, NPA chair, said: “These are shocking figures which show that millions of patients have lost access to pharmacies who provide vital medication and care on their doorsteps.

“It is particularly concerning to see rural areas continuing to lose pharmacy time, which will force vulnerable isolated patients to travel further for the care they need.

“When pharmacies close, it means people have to travel further for care and the pharmacies that remain have to work harder to meet demand.

“When they are forced to cut hours to make ends meet it means people don’t have such flexibility to get advice or pick up medicines.

“We’re relieved to hear that talks have finally begun for the long overdue pharmacy settlement but unless urgent and sustained increases in pharmacy funding are delivered imminently, this situation will only worsen and patients will face more and more difficulties getting the care they need and pharmacies will have no choice but to cut their services further to make ends meet.”

In January, the NPA revealed 222 pharmacies closed permanently in 2024 – the second-highest annual closure rate on record and second only to the previous year.

Around 90 per cent of an average pharmacy’s work is funded via the NHS, including the cost of supplying medication as well providing vaccination services, such as the flu and Covid-19 vaccine.

Some 99.7 per cent of pharmacies who voted in a recent NPA ballot said they would be prepared to take collective action for the first time in their history if their funding situation did not improve. This includes cutting opening hours to contractual minimums, a move which could result in around one million hours of pharmacy time being lost.

Last week, the Government announced that negotiations over a new contract with pharmacies have finally begun for 2024/25 and 2025/26.

The current contractual arrangements for community pharmacies expired on 31 March 2024 and pharmacies have been working without a new contract since then, causing financial uncertainty.

The NPA has warned that if a new funding settlement was not to meet its five tests, which includes pharmacies receiving payment in arrears for 2024/25 in one lump sum to prevent further financial damage and closures – and there are no further clawbacks for the 2024/25 period, action could still be recommended.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Over 80 per cent of the population are able to reach a pharmacy within a 20 minute walk, and there are twice as many pharmacies in deprived areas.

“Despite this, we know that community pharmacy has been neglected for years, but will have a vital role to play as we shift the focus of the NHS out of hospitals and into the community through our 10 Year Health Plan.

“We will work with the sector, making better use of the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, to build a service fit for the future and we are currently consulting with Community Pharmacy England regarding funding for this year and next.”