Pharmacies have been at the heart of their communities for hundreds of years, but official figures recently published by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) reveal that more than 430 branches have closed in England in the last financial year alone – the highest number of closures since 2015/16. Crucially, nearly 35 per cent of these were in the top 20 per cent of most deprived areas of the country, where access to primary healthcare provision may be more difficult as a result of low household incomes, higher levels of ill health, and reduced access to transport.
In this article, we’ll consider the causes of the crisis and how the Government’s Pharmacy First initiative could help to make pharmacies the centre of their communities once more.
What is Driving the Closure of Community Pharmacies?
It will probably come as little surprise to know that funding shortages are predominantly behind the closure of hundreds of local pharmacies in recent months. Since 2015, pharmacies have been exposed to a 30 per cent real terms reduction in funding that has left many independent businesses teetering on a financial cliff edge. Without additional funding, it is likely that many more may close.
Yet the closures have not been solely restricted to small businesses but have also affected high street names including Lloyds Pharmacy, Tesco, and Asda, with many more also reducing opening hours or re-evaluating their estate to try to plug the shortfall in funding.
How Might Pharmacy First Reinvigorate Community Pharmacies?
The Pharmacy First Scheme, which is due to launch in the autumn of 2024, will allow patients with a restricted number of health conditions to obtain prescription-only treatment from their local pharmacy, without the inconvenience of seeing a GP first.
Not only will the scheme free up more than 10 million GP appointments each year, but it will also refocus the spotlight on community pharmacies as the first point of access in primary care for seven common health conditions. Participating pharmacies will offer the service across their opening hours, including evenings and weekends when GP surgeries are closed and will save patients considerable time and disruption by providing a reliable walk-in service.
Pharmacies will also be able to strengthen both their standing in the community and their income by cross-selling to customers and providing additional services, such as travel advice, holistic therapies, and allergy testing.
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To learn how Suresign’s extensive self-test selection can boost your pharmacy’s profits and strengthen its reputation as a community hub for primary healthcare, please call us on 028 9694 3922 .
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