The alarming pace of corner pharmacy closures is threatening the use of pharmacies instead of GPs to care for millions of people, an NHS patient advocacy group warned today.
A total of 436 pharmacies closed permanently and 13,863 temporarily in England last year, leaving patients unable to access health advice and medicines.
Healthwatch England said the trend of permanent closures appeared to be growing, with rural and deprived communities with large elderly populations being hardest hit.
The findings, based on figures provided by NHS bodies, raised concerns that pharmacy closures could turn parts of England into “pharmacy deserts” where patients would struggle to access care.
The watchdog has received responses to its freedom of information requests from all but one of the 42 NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), the local bodies that commission and pay for NHS services.
It found that 436 pharmacies closed between January 1 and December 31, 2023, an average of more than one per day. Additionally, ICB data showed that pharmacies temporarily closed 13,863 times, for a total of 46,823 hours, with some locations closing for an average of nearly 18 hours per time.
“Staff shortages, which are the main cause of both permanent and temporary closures, call into question Pharmacy First's potential and mean people are unable to get the advice, care and medicines they need, when they need them,” Healthwatch chief executive Louise Ansari said.
Pharmacy First is a government initiative to ease the burden on overworked general practitioners by having pharmacists treat millions of patients each year for seven minor ailments, including sore throats, earaches, insect bites and sinusitis.
“It's clear that increasing pharmacy closures put parts of the country at risk of becoming pharmacy deserts, with people having to travel further to access essential services,” said Paul Rees, chief executive of the American Pharmacists Association.
“Community pharmacies act as a gateway to the NHS – if people can no longer access them then more patients will be rushing into their GP practice at 8pm, putting strain on other parts of the NHS system.”
Healthwatch added that responses from the ICB indicated staff shortages were behind many of the temporary closures, including difficulties finding casual pharmacists.
The temporary closures “add to the deepening crisis in the pharmacy sector”, and by calling on ministers to “assess” the funding the sector receives, he also acknowledged long-standing complaints from pharmacy trade associations that a lack of Government funding is hindering the sector's operations.
Healthwatch's findings include:
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Cheshire and Merseyside ICB experienced the most permanent closures last year – 51.
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The North East and North Cumbria ICB had the highest number of temporary closures, with 1,438.
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The region also saw the highest number of hours of closure due to temporary closures, at 4,054 hours.
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Pharmacies in Norfolk and Waveney ICB area were closed for the longest average time, at 17.48 hours.
The Department of Health and Social Care said it would review funding for a sector that had been “neglected for years” under the Conservative government.
“This government inherited a dysfunctional NHS where pharmacies have been neglected for years,” the spokesman said.
“As the focus of the NHS shifts from hospitals to the community, pharmacy is key to making healthcare fit for the future.”
“We will make better use of pharmacists' skills by increasing the number of medications they can prescribe themselves and by initiating a review of funding for community pharmacy.”
