Pharmacies plunged into darkness in funding protest

The pharmacy staff say they offer a vital service

Pharmacy staff across Merseyside wore black and worked in darkness as part of a protest over funding.

Victoria Pharmacy on Victoria Road in New Brighton was one of many taking part in the protest calling for more NHS funding for pharmacies across the country.

Staff said they "wanted people to see how bad it is" and warned many pharmacies could close.

The Department of Health declined to comment during the general election.

The pharmacy remained open on Thursday but shutters were drawn, lights were turned off, and staff wore black as they called on the government "to reverse the cuts and stop the closures".

According to the National Pharmacy Association, around 10 pharmacies are closing every week.

It claims funding for pharmacies in England has been cut in real terms by 40% and over 1,400 pharmacies have been forced to close.

Michelle Carter, who works in New Brighton, said: "Some drugs cost us £10 but the government only gives us about £6," adding: "The drugs we are buying in are so much more expensive than what they are paying us so we are running at a loss and obviously we have to pay the pharmacists and the bills.

"People are closing because they can’t go on any longer and there’s going to come a point where there is going to be no pharmacies."

Joanne Kettle said the shop staff are often the only people some customers speak to in a day

Joanne Kettle, who has worked at the pharmacy for more than 30 years, said: "We have people coming to us and we are the only people they see all day.

"We are the only people they can see and talk to. We are vital.”

Klaudia Barcik, the pharmacist in New Brighton, said medication prices had seen an increase due to shortages worldwide, as well as supply chain issues caused by Brexit.

She said: "We are at breaking point. It’s heart-breaking because I want the best for my patients, but I can’t give the medication because I don’t have the means to provide it with."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said it could not comment due to the general election.

The Conservative Party has pledged to expand its Pharmacy First programme and spend around £250m a year on the scheme, which sees pharmacies deal with some medical problems instead of GPs.

Labour has also pledged to create a community pharmacist prescribing service, while the Liberal Democrats have said they will invest in pharmacy services to help keep people from going to hospital.

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