A recent report by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) highlights that one in seven people in England has experienced the closure of their local pharmacy since 2017, impacting around seven million individuals.

The NPA attributes these closures to a staggering 40% reduction in pharmacy funding over the past decade, which has created a funding crisis for community pharmacies.

Nick Kaye, chair of the NPA, emphasized the urgent need to address this funding crisis to prevent further closures and service reductions that would negatively affect patient access to essential care.

Since 2017, approximately 1,250 pharmacies have shut down, with the majority of these closures occurring in the last three years.

Regions such as Kent, Wiltshire, Cambridgeshire, and Devon have been particularly hard hit, with Kent alone losing 109,000 hours of pharmacy service in the past two years.

The overall operating hours of pharmacies in England have significantly decreased, dropping from 620,000 hours per week in 2022 to 551,000 hours per week in 2024, which translates to a loss of around seven million hours in just two years.

These closures have disproportionately affected the elderly and those living in remote areas, making it increasingly difficult for them to access essential medications.

In response to the ongoing challenges faced by community pharmacies, the Department of Health and Social Care is exploring future funding and service improvements as part of the NHS's 10 Year Health Plan.

The NPA has reported that an overwhelming 99.7% of pharmacies that participated in their ballot are prepared to take collective action, which may include further reducing opening hours if funding does not improve.