Pharmacies may close at weekends in first-ever industrial action

Association of pharmacists says ‘a decade of underfunding’ has led to closures and an ‘untenable position’

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Pharmacists are threatening to close their premises at weekends after voting in favour of collective action for the first time in their history.
Some could also withdraw from providing emergency contraception and stop-smoking services.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said its members had been “forced into an untenable position by a decade of underfunding”.
The trade body said pharmacists did not want to reduce services but would be “left with no option” if there was no adequate response from the Government on funding in the coming weeks.
Some 3,339 independent community pharmacies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part in the unprecedented ballot, a turnout of 64 per cent.
Of the pharmacists who voted, 97.8 per cent said they would serve notice on closing outwith the minimum hours required by their contracts, which would mean fewer pharmacies open at evenings or weekends.
According to the NPA, pharmacies are contracted to open for 40 hours a week but most average 50 hours.
Some 96.1 per cent also voted to withdraw from locally commissioned services such as emergency contraception, addiction support and stop-smoking services.
In addition, 96.8 per cent voted to stop supplying medicine packs that the NHS do not pay pharmacies to provide, other than packs covered by the Disability Discrimination Act.
Almost all (99.2 per cent) voted to refuse to co-operate with certain data requests beyond those required for patient safety and contractual minimums.
Nick Kaye, the NPA chairman, said: “Pharmacies desperately want to support their local communities… but have been forced into an untenable position by a decade of underfunding which has led to a record number of closures.
“As a third-generation pharmacist, I deeply care about my patients, as do pharmacy teams across the country, but I have never experienced a situation as desperate as this.”
The NPA estimates about 700 pharmacies have closed down in England in the last two years, with more than 1,250 in the last decade.
Mr Kaye added: “Pharmacies don’t want to reduce services but we will be left with no option… if Government does not act to protect this vital and much-loved part of our health service.”
He said last month’s Budget had “intensified” issues, and while the NPA agreed with the Government’s aim to shift more care from hospitals into the community, as part of its 10-year plan, he warned the sector must be properly funded.
“The ballot result overwhelmingly shows the sheer anger and frustration of pharmacy owners at a decade of cuts that is forcing dedicated health professionals to shut their doors for good.”
The NPA ballot comes during collective action by GPs in England over a new contract that gives services a funding increase of 1.9 per cent. Doctors say the increase is not enough.
In August, the British Medical Association issued a list of 10 actions for surgeries to consider, including limiting patients to 25 a day or refusing to carry out work GPs are not formally contracted to do.
GPs launched a formal dispute over the issue in April after a referendum carried out by the union found 99 per cent of 19,000 GPs rejected the contract.
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