Pharmacist says system is 'crumbling' amid closures

John Davey says pharmacies are going bust because they cannot dispense the medicine needed

More than 80 pharmacies across the north-west of England have closed in the past two years due to a "crumbling" system that is "not financially viable", a pharmacist has said.

Figures from the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), exclusively obtained by BBC North West Tonight, revealed that 84 pharmacies had shut down across the region, with Liverpool seeing the highest proportional rate of closures in the country.

John Davey, who has owned pharmacies in the city since 1986, said it had never been more difficult or expensive to source medication, adding: "The house is on fire. It's just ridiculous."

The Department of Health and Social Care said the government had "inherited a system that has been neglected for too long".

It added that pharmacies had "a vital role" to play as it moved the focus of care from hospital to the community.

'Crippling morale'

Mr Davey said the NHS was not adequately reimbursing pharmacies and government action was needed to stop more from closing.

"We're just getting busier dispensing the medicines which other pharmacies couldn't dispense and that's why they've gone bust, he said.

"Things are just crumbling, the morale is just crippling."

Pharmacy owners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland voted in favour of industrial action last month, calling for an annual £1.7bn funding increase.

The NPA said core government pharmacy funding in England had fallen by 40% since 2015-16, after adjusting for inflation.

Mr Davey said the current system was having a serious impact on his patients, adding: "We've been looking after these people for generations.

"We have a legal requirement to get drugs where we can get them but there are times now when the drugs are just not available."

He said he had to "really reconsider" continuing to offer home delivery - a service his chain of pharmacies has always offered.

"We are really scratching and we're looking at the figures every day just to try and see what we can do, what we can cut," he added.

A Department of Health and Social Care statement said: "Community pharmacy has a vital role to play as we move the focus of care from hospital to the community under the fundamental reforms in our 10 Year Health Plan.

"Unfortunately, we inherited a system that has been neglected for too long and is no longer supporting the pharmacists we need to deliver for patients at a local level."