Cuts to pharmacy budgets are a '˜prescription for disaster' warns Dearne MP

Planned Government cuts to community pharmacy budgets will be bad for the NHS and for people across Barnsley and the Dearne, claims an MP.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Nov 2016, 15:40 BST
Updated 16th Nov 2016, 15:51 BST
Michael Dugher MP with campaigners outside a pharmacy.Michael Dugher MP with campaigners outside a pharmacy.
Michael Dugher MP with campaigners outside a pharmacy.

Barnsley East MP Michael Dugher has hit out at a Government plan to cut the community pharmacies’ budget by £113 million this financial year and a further £95 million in 2017-18.

During a debate in the House of Commons, Mr Dugher told the Minister the plan for cuts would be bad for both the NHS and bad for our communities.

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Up to 3,000 local chemists could be forced to close under the cutbacks, amounting to one in four across England. In Yorkshire and Humber alone, that means 300 community pharmacies may be forced to shut.

Government cuts to local chemists will also increase downstream costs in other parts of the NHS including already overstretched GP surgeries and A&E units.

Mr Dugher has campaigned against the planned cut and visited Vantage Pharmacy in Worsbrough, Akram’s Pharmacy in Wombwell, the Oaks Park Primary Care Centre in Kendray, Shafton Pharmacy and Well Pharmacies in Hoyland, Cudworth and Darfield.

A petition against the plans has been signed by more than 2.2 million people.

Mr Dugher said: “Ministers are pursuing a scorched earth policy that is bad for Barnsley and will force the closure of hundreds of pharmacies in Yorkshire.”