An NPA-led cross-sector delegation delivered a petition to No 10 Downing Street urging “immediate, fair, and sustained funding” to safeguard pharmacies
Thousands of pharmacies took part in the second day of the ‘Save Our Pharmacies’ protest organised by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) on Thursday.
Similar to the first day of protest in June, pharmacies carried out several symbolic actions, such as blacking out windows, to warn of the threat of future closures.
Meanwhile, NPA chief executive Paul Rees led a delegation of pharmacy leaders to deliver a 350,000-strong petition to No 10 Downing Street, calling for “immediate, fair and sustained funding to safeguard NHS pharmacy services and ensure local pharmacies have a future.”
The delegation included NPA Chair Nick Kaye; Janet Morrison, CEO of Community Pharmacy England (CPE); Malcolm Harrison, CEO of Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), and Gerard Greene, CEO of Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI).
Steve Race MP, who is the new chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy, and Sadik Al-Hassan, one of only two pharmacists in the House of Commons, also joined them.
NPA chief executive, Paul Rees, thanked everyone who participated in the protests stating, “It’s a privilege to stand alongside you as we seek to save the nation’s pharmacy network from collapse.”
He emphasised that they would continue to press ministers for sustainable funding to prevent further closures.
“It doesn’t stop here – we will continue to press for change, because community pharmacy is far too important to be allowed to wither away.
“This second day of action built on the momentum of the first, to make sure politicians and senior NHS officials are in no doubt about the precarious state of the UK’s precious community pharmacy network.
“What we want is for Ministers to stop the closures and start working with us and colleagues in the sector to determine what a sustainable financial future looks like.”
He added that while there are huge possibilities for pharmacies, immediate action is needed to “stop the closures and put the sector on a sound financial footing” so they can start thinking about a better future.
According to NPA, up to 6000 pharmacies took part in the protests, which includes the vast majority of the NPA members and other independents.
The NPA’s campaign was featured on all national TV and radio news programs and in national papers.
NPA chair Nick Kaye opened the day on BBC1 Breakfast News, minutes later appearing on Radio 4's flagship Today programme. Shortly afterwards, Paul Rees was on the ITV Good Morning Britain with Richard Madeley and Kate Garraway, following a feature on the daily life of NPA member Chris Naidu in Cornwall.
NPA Vice Chair Olivier Picard appeared on BBC1 news bulletins and ITV from his pharmacy in Berkshire.
Interviews were also conducted with NPA member Patricia Ojo on Channel 5, NPA Board member Sukhi Basra on Channel 4, and NPA Board member Ashley Cohen, who appeared throughout the day on GB News.
Sukhi Basra