Threat to rural chemists flagged up by Shropshire Council

Following a review of pharmacy provision, the Department of Health is proposing to cut £170 million from the funding available for community pharmacies in 2016/17, estimated to cost the average pharmacy £15,000 a year.

Councillors in the rural south west of the county have expressed serious concerns that the move may put small pharmacies, in places like Bishop's Castle and Pontesbury, at risk – and if they close there will be no similar service nearby for residents.

Heather Kidd, Shropshire councillor for Chirbury and Worthen, said: "The Government has indicated that it will press ahead with its proposals to cut the grant paid to pharmacies for providing a public service.

"This will impact hugely on rural pharmacies which are dependent on the grant to survive.

"The health and adult social care scrutiny committee of Shropshire Council decided to write to all the County's MPs pointing out the devastating impact that this will have in many areas.

"In the south west of the county, for example, we only have two, in Bishop's Castle and Pontesbury, to cover an area of over 200 square miles.

"If these go we will either have to travel into one of the major towns or go into Wales to access some of the unique services that only a pharmacist can provide.

"I persuaded the committee to ask the MPs to press the Minister of State for Community and Social Care, Alistair Burt, to take into consideration geography and sparsity of population before coming to any final decisions.

"The committee will be sending their views to Shropshire MPs Owen Patterson, Daniel Kawczynski and Philip Dunne."

Rod Thomson, Shropshire Council's director of public health, said: "The Shropshire health and well-being board made a submission to the national consultation expressing concern about the potential adverse impact for rural areas. Shropshire Council has also raised these concerns with local MPs."

NHS England said the plans were designed to do away with the "clustering" of pharmacies, and included making greater use of the skills of pharmacists in GP surgeries, A&E and care homes with improved use of technology.