Concern over loss of pharmacy in Watton

Boots chemist will shut leaving the growing town of Watton with only one pharmacy

People have expressed concern over a town with a growing population losing one of its two pharmacies from January.

The branch in Boots is set to shut in Watton, Norfolk.

Six pharmacies have closed in Norfolk in recent months with four more expected to go next year. In June, a pharmacist in the county said the industry was "in danger".

Boots would not comment on the Watton closure or a decision to shut its High Street branch in Gorleston last month.

Conservative councillor Tina Kiddell said she was not sure if Watton's other chemist would be able to handle the demand in the town with a population of about 12,000.

"I do worry how they are going to cope, they're already incredibly overwhelmed now," she said.

She said it would impact on a drive to urge the public to use their pharmacists more for minor ailments to relieve pressure on the GP service.

But she said the closure would "put more pressure on doctor's surgeries again".

People said they now had to catch a bus to get to a chemist after this branch in Gorleston closed down last month

Tony Dean, from Community Pharmacy Norfolk, said: "It's a terrible situation of funding and workforce.

"People might not realise but 95% of a typical pharmacy's turnover is dependent on NHS income and we don't set what we get paid for that. The government set that."

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A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson said in June an extra £100m had been invested in the sector.

The number of pharmacies in England has fallen by 160 over the last two years, according to BBC analysis.

A new plan in England unveiled by the NHS in May included asking people to use High Street pharmacies in certain circumstances to reduce pressure on GPs.