82% of chemists say enterprise is ‘unsustainable’ as Tories ask them to do extra

Eight in ten unbiased pharmacies thinks their enterprise is “unsustainable” – at the same time as Rishi Sunak is urging them to do extra to take stress off the NHS.

A survey of 500 chemists by the National Pharmacies Association (NPA) additionally discovered 85% typically make a loss on offering NHS prescriptions. Some 64% are dipping into their very own financial savings or counting on assist from household to maintain the doorways open.

An extra 79% stated both themselves or their members of the family are working with out correct pay to maintain the pharmacy operating. It comes after analysis for the Pharmaceutical Journal discovered greater than a fifth of pharmacies have lower opening hours since 2022.

“Reduced hours are an inevitable consequence of the gross underfunding of the pharmacy sector,” said NPA chief executive Paul Rees. “Real phrases cuts are slicing away at this most accessible a part of the well being service and sufferers are dropping out.”

The Prime Minister final month launched his plan to unencumber GP appointments by permitting pharmacists to prescribe antibiotics and antivirals to deal with frequent circumstances. But chemists warn years of power underfunding has left them struggling to remain open.

And NHS figures present multiple neighborhood pharmacy closes its doorways daily – with 394 closing final yr – which is prone to ramp up stress on GPs, NHS111 and A&E companies.

Mr Rees added: “It’s only a matter of time before many of these pharmacies run out of options to stay afloat and close their doors permanently.”