Sheffield pharmacy fights government cuts which could put it at risk of closure

Pharmacy staff are fighting Government changes that could see smaller businesses close.
(l-r) Kevin Torr, Pharmacist, Anita Darling, Medicine Counter Assistant, Bev Griffiths, Technician and Zoe Gawthorpe, Technician, at Oakbrook Pharmacy are supporting a national petition against governement cuts that will affect smaller pharmacies. Picture: Andrew Roe(l-r) Kevin Torr, Pharmacist, Anita Darling, Medicine Counter Assistant, Bev Griffiths, Technician and Zoe Gawthorpe, Technician, at Oakbrook Pharmacy are supporting a national petition against governement cuts that will affect smaller pharmacies. Picture: Andrew Roe
(l-r) Kevin Torr, Pharmacist, Anita Darling, Medicine Counter Assistant, Bev Griffiths, Technician and Zoe Gawthorpe, Technician, at Oakbrook Pharmacy are supporting a national petition against governement cuts that will affect smaller pharmacies. Picture: Andrew Roe

Funding for community pharmacies, as opposed to those in hospitals, is due to fall from £2.8bn to £2.63bn from October.

Kevin Torr, manager of Oakbrook Pharmacy in Ranmoor, is worried the cuts could affect his business.

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“We are collecting signatures on a petition but it is a national fight against proposals to cut funding for pharmacies,” he said.

“The cuts are not to close us down in particular, but they are trying to get patients to go to bigger pharmacies.

“The cuts would affect us greatly. We are a small pharmacy, part of a small chain of five shops. We feel cuts more than the larger companies.”

Mr Torr has had plenty of support from his customers, with more than 500 signing the petition.

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“We think we are quite valuable to the community,” he said. “People wouldn’t want to see us close.

“A lot of people have found when they have closed post offices that they have to travel further. We don’t want them to do the same to get to their pharmacies.”

Sandra Gidley from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society said there were ‘a number of concerns’.

“Under the plans pharmacies could be forced to cut staff and have less capacity to give important health advice,” she said. “The government must consider the capacity that the community pharmacy network provides to relieve pressures on GPs and A and E.”