New figures confirm worst fears about effect of pharmacy cuts - Jonathan Ashworth
Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Health, commenting on new figures from the National Pharmacy Association Survey, on cuts to community pharmacies, said:
“These new figures confirm all our worst fears about the effect of these pharmacy cuts on communities across the country.
“The survey has found that 81 per cent of community pharmacies are having to restrict services that help elderly people and 86 per cent will have to restrict free services such as delivering medicine to housebound patients. This is unacceptable. The elderly and the most vulnerable will clearly be the hardest hit by these cuts and the Government will be entirely to blame.
“With these cuts coming into force from 1st December, and pharmacies having to respond immediately, the result will be a huge increase on the winter pressures already faced by an overstretched NHS services.
“Labour has been campaigning hard to prevent cuts to community pharmacies and will today (Wednesday) hold an Opposition Debate on this issue. We are piling pressure onto the Government and to Conservative MPs to do the right thing for pharmacies and constituents and vote against these cuts.”
