{"id":24155,"date":"2025-03-18T00:02:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T01:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=24155"},"modified":"2025-03-18T01:27:54","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T01:27:54","slug":"countdown-to-pharmacies-protest-over-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=24155","title":{"rendered":"Countdown to pharmacies&#8217; protest over funding"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-component=\"byline-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new\" class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-0 haItSe\">\n<div class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-1 cjDa-dM\">25 minutes ago<\/p>\n<p><!--$!--><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 oYtVL dRvUPz dXDmtS\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 iQJDhl cCYQUA kItbpD\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Save<\/span><\/button><!--\/$--><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--$!--><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 oYtVL dRvUPz dXDmtS\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 iQJDhl cCYQUA kItbpD\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Save<\/span><\/button><!--\/$--><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 EXUng\">\n<div data-testid=\"hero-image\" class=\"sc-a34861b-1 jxzoZC\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/76eee390-0336-11f0-91f8-6fd3efc69fb3.jpg.webp\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Getty Images An older woman with grey hair is asking a pharmacist, who has long dark hair and is wearing a white coat, about her prescription in a chemist shop\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 efFcac\" \/><span class=\"sc-a34861b-2 hesJxn\">Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">About 6,000 community pharmacies in England are, for the first time, being advised to start &#8220;working to rule&#8221;, in two weeks, unless an agreement can be reached with the government on a new NHS contract. <!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) is urging its members to limit opening hours to 40 a week, as set out in the current contract, because they have yet to receive any confirmation of funding for this or next financial year.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">They could also cut services such as delivering medicines to people&#8217;s homes, addiction support, stop-smoking help and emergency contraception<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The government said the move would cause &#8220;unnecessary disruption for patients&#8221; and a settlement with pharmacies was already being worked on.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"sc-518485e5-0 DkKTF\">Causing anxiety<!-- --><\/h2>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">A pharmacy&#8217;s NHS contract accounts for about 90% of its revenue, on average.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">And with increases in National Insurance, the National Living Wage and business rates, from 1 April, pharmacies say the lack of agreement over their contract is causing anxiety.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">This comes on top of a decade of cuts to funding, which has seen 30 pharmacies close since the start of this year, the NPA says.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Some 3,000 pharmacy owners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland <!-- --><a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/articles\/c1dpz0ewvg7o\" class=\"sc-c9299ecf-0 beIoQm\">voted in favour of action, in November<!-- --><\/a>.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Nick Kaye, who chairs the NPA, said pharmacies had been &#8220;left with little choice&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">&#8220;It is better that we temporarily reduce access in the short term than to let pharmacies collapse altogether under the weight of unsustainable operating costs,&#8221; he said.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">There had been little feedback from ministers and the impact of the current uncertainty was &#8220;devastating&#8221; for pharmacies.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">&#8220;We want to get on with seeing patients, pay our staff, not have to think about closing, and invest in our business for the future,&#8221; Mr Kaye added.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"sc-518485e5-0 DkKTF\">&#8216;Unnecessary disruption&#8217;<!-- --><\/h2>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The Department of Health and Social Care said pharmacies had a vital role to play as the NHS&#8217;s focus shifted away from hospitals and into the community.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">&#8220;The National Pharmacy Association&#8217;s pre-emptive action will cause unnecessary disruption for patients and we urge them to reconsider,&#8221; an official said<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Healthwatch England, which records the experiences and concerns of people who use health and social-care services, urged the government to conclude negotiations with pharmacies as soon as possible.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Benedict Knox, from Healthwatch England, said many patients had seen their local pharmacy close or experience disruptions due to staff shortages. <!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">&#8220;This issue especially impacts older people and is particularly acute in rural areas, where people often have to travel further to visit their pharmacist,&#8221; he said.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">But he stressed not every community pharmacy was an NPA member and it was up to each one to decide if they would reduce services.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">There are about 10,500 pharmacies in England, according to Community Pharmacy England, which represents all pharmacy owners.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 gfTVSf\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-a34861b-1 jxzoZC\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 cOpVbP hide-when-no-script\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/87cba440-0337-11f0-9d83-c7f80f10afdc.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Getty Images A wooden sign, depicting the traditional green pharmacy cross, on a small, community pharmacy in England \" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 efFcac\" \/><span class=\"sc-a34861b-2 hesJxn\">Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>25 minutes ago<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24155"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24155\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24160,"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24155\/revisions\/24160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}