Concerns over future of community pharmacies

Ifesi Anyamene runs Godstone Pharmacy in Surrey

A Surrey pharmacist has raised concerns about losing the "heartbeat of the community" if more pharmacies close.

Ifesi Anyamene runs Godstone Pharmacy, and said it is the "first port of call" for many in the village.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) previously warned of 10 closures a week and said more than 1,400 pharmacies had closed in England in the last 10 years.

Ms Anyamene said many independent pharmacies were family-run businesses and "not about profit".

Ms Anyamene says community pharmacies are the "heartbeat" of the community

She added: "It's about us being part of the community.

"We are the heartbeat of the community when it comes to healthcare because we are easily accessible to people.

"We are the first port of call for most people in the community."

She said underfunding could cause pharmacies to close, and leave patients with "nowhere to go".

Ahead of a day of campaigning in June, to raise awareness of the funding issues faced by pharmacies, the NPA warned of an "emergency" across the sector.

NPA chief executive Paul Rees said: “Funding for community pharmacy has been squeezed over the last decade and as a result it is now a sector in very real distress."

Ms Anyamene said pharmacies were important to those who were not confident online, and many would visit or call when they could not get an appointment with their GP.

She added: "There's a huge risk of us disappearing from the communities."

Alban Brindle, from the patient participation group at the village's Pond Tail Surgery, raised concerns about the loss of "highly qualified" pharmacists as more people turned to getting medicines online.

He told BBC Radio Surrey: "It's not like buying something online like your groceries, like a book.

"It's not as simple as that, it's a complicated business."