More than 4,000 pharmacy hours lost to closures

Staff shortages are a key cause of temporary closures, said Healthwatch

More than 4,000 hours pharmacy hours were lost in 2023 due to temporary closures, according to a watchdog.

Healthwatch said the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) saw the highest level of temporary shutdowns across the country last year.

Among the ICB's 668 pharmacies, there were 1,438 temporary closures in 2023 equalling 4,054 hours lost.

The body's head Louise Ansari said staff shortages were a "key driver" of temporary closures and the issue was having huge impacts on older people.

The watchdog said the figures call into doubt the success of the government's Pharmacy First programme which launched in January.

The scheme allowed people to get care for seven common conditions at their local pharmacies to relieve pressure on GPs.

But the high rate of temporary closures means "people can't get the advice, care and medications they need and when they need them", said Ms Ansari.

"Better signposting that pharmacies will be closed and setting out alternatives would go some way to improving patient experience."

The watchdog also found there were 25 permanent pharmacy closures across north-east England and north Cumbria last year.

Throughout England, there were 13,863 temporary closures across 41 ICBs in 2023, which resulted in over 46,823 hours lost and an average closure length of three hours and 40 minutes.

Healthwatch has called for a national evaluation of the challenges facing the pharmacy sector.

The Department of Health and Social Care said pharmacies are "key to making healthcare fit for the future".

"We will make better use of their skills by increasing the number of pharmacists able to prescribe medication themselves and launch a review of Community Pharmacy funding," a spokesperson said.

Additional reporting by PA Media.