Pharmacy Closures in the UK

Pharmacies

by piglet22 - 2023-11-07 06:46:15

Hi Penguin

Probably because they are stressed out or not being paid to do hospital or GP jobs.

My local and very good independent pharmacy would be sorely missed, and I hope that all the extra work being shoved their way, plus business rates, energy costs etc., etc. don't do them in.

I give you another example.

I found some old banknotes the other day.

I looked up the Bank of England website to identify the notes and what to do with them.

"Take them to your local bank branch"

First hurdle, we don’t have any left in my town apart from one building society and I'm not a customer.

BoE. Take them to the BoE itself or post them to BoE. No thanks.

BoE. Take them to a Post Office.

There might be 11,500 offices, but only 30 do banknote exchanges. The main PO here shut years ago and W H Smiths is now the PO. They don't do banknote exchange.

So, the only option left is to take out a day to travel to the nearest main PO miles away.

This isn't stress shutdown, this is pure commercialism, just like the Tax Offices.

Thanks a lot.

Piglet - Hit the Nail on it's Head!

by Penguin - 2023-11-07 07:03:12

Yes, you're right it seems. Just found this: 

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9854/

 I can't see the commonsense in promoting the role of the pharmacist in healthcare - VERY publicly via leaflets in GP surgery / NHS website - and then failing to support pharmacies, to the point of closure. 

What's this other 2023 initiative about recovering the role of the GP (referred to in the article)?  Much needed of course, but are we now back tracking and changing our minds about pharmacy services now and bringing everything back to the GPs again? 

I'm confused! 

pharmacy closings in the US

by new to pace.... - 2023-11-07 09:38:22

In the US the other day in one of our newspapers. It was mentioned that some of the chain pharmacies are closing.  Some of the reasons mentioned where too many hours worked, burned out, not enough help.

new to pace

US Pharmacies - NTPace

by Penguin - 2023-11-07 10:18:46

Hi NTP, 

Just wondering if that's an economic issue in the US. Not sure how pharmacies operate over there, but in the UK one of their services is to dispense prescription drugs for the National Health Service and get paid to do this.  Their role was expanded a few years ago and we were all encouraged to seek out the advice of a pharmacist for certain ailments rather than the advice of a GP.  I assume that this was to encourage us all to 'spread the workload' caused by minor medical issues between the pharmacist and our overloaded GP service.  I assume that things work differently in the US due to private health care schemes.  

With so many pharmacies closing due, it seems, to financial pressures I'm wondering whether this initiative will continue and where we stand as patients given that it's still really difficult to get to see a GP since Covid.  I understood that there were still plans afoot to promote the pharmacy service and that this would reduce pressure on GPs.  

Just interested really in what's going on and what, as patients, we should do to help out. 

US Pharmacies

by docklock - 2023-11-07 11:17:38

In my opinion: Pharmacies, whether they be locally owned or chain, have taken on too many roles.

They have to "work" with customers when no one else is available.

They have to answer questions that customers have ranging from "what do I need for . . ."

They have to administer shots/vaccines that take a significant amount of time.

They often have to ring up the purchases and deal with "drive-up" customers.

In addition to all that, they have to re-stock their drugs, maintain their inventory etc.

Chain pharmacies, as well as locally owned independants are gettng burned out.   

Like I said; just my opinion.

Pharmacy closures in the UK

by Selwyn - 2023-11-07 12:10:23

1. Profit from dispensing is reduced ( NHS contract)

2. Overheads have increased

3. Footfall is down as prescriptions are dealt with electronically

4. Home deliveries are up ( a free service).

5. Wholesale costs are squeezed

6. On line competition

7.Payment targets for health care harder to achieve and time consuming. 

8. Over governance.

9. Extra work for dispensing to nursing home in blister packs etc, means extra staff.

10. Many drugs are expensive and can stay on the shelf if not used.

I am married to a pharmacist (retired). I recently had my flu vaccination and covid vaccination at my local pharmacy. Almost all pharmacists are like GPs in terms of having to cope with a lot of extra work pressure. Many are happy to retire and get out of the rat race.

Makes Sense but what a shame!

by Penguin - 2023-11-07 13:15:23

Thank you Docklock & Selwyn.  That makes sense. 

What a shame though. These people know an awful lot about drugs / medicines and are often more approachable when 'one' doesn't feel that a GP appointment is vital. 

I've had some good information from pharmacists. 

UK Pharmacies

by akaDM - 2023-11-07 15:08:09

Pharmacies in the Uk have never been financially sustainable on their own. That's why they were always in chemist shops which sold a wide range of related, or not so related, goods. With the increase in retail competition and trend to larger stores and online shopping those related goods have become less profitable in most places.

Recruitment of pharmacists has also become increasingly difficult, despite the increase in the number of registered pharmacists.

The combination of the two trends, plus rising costs of retail space, naturally leads to closures, apart from any pressures in pharmacy income itself and the stress levels of retail pharmacists.

akaDM

by Penguin - 2023-11-07 16:06:01

Where does that leave the plans to increase the role of the pharmacist in lower level patient care to relieve the pressure on GP surgeries? Online advice?

No closures here

by Gemita - 2023-11-07 17:22:00

Penguin, no sign of pharmacies closing in our neck of the woods, quite the contrary.  They are popping up everywhere.  They offer such a good service to elderly patients, delivering medication, preparing medication, carrying out vaccinations and answering questions that we should be asking our doctors if only they had time to see us.  Our pharmacist is amazing, completely reliable.

Gemita

by Penguin - 2023-11-07 18:42:37

Lucky you! ....what a wonderful service you have, and lucky for the local GPs too it seems. 

'Completely reliable' is a description I'd relate back to the research that the pharmacist relies on (if you're talking about pharmaceutical advice.)  Everyone has to rely on it. I don't think I believe in 'completely reliable' any more. I can't remember how it feels to have that degree of faith. 

@Penguin

by akaDM - 2023-11-09 18:37:32

"Where does that leave the plans to increase the role of the pharmacist in lower level patient care to relieve the pressure on GP surgeries? Online advice?"

'Plans' is euphamistic. NHS workforce planning is dreadful even for staff groups entirely employed by the NHS. And you've seen what has happened to NHS dentistry.

When covid jabs came out, pharmacists groups were very keen to be on the list of jabbers - maybe giving the impression that pharmacists had spare capacity. Some do, some don't; most are keen to take on regular income producing activities when they have the staff. If they don't have the staff, then they won't do it - they don't have a contract that requires it.

Pharmacists have nearly always been more knowledgeable than doctors about medication (I have been to hospital ward rounds where they attended regularly for precisely that reason). As such they can be invaluable to patients (when they have the time to discuss). I'm not sure that there's an easily defined lower level of patient care that would enable them to relieve pressure on GP surgeries.  Out of hours care has already been largely largely outsourced to specialist providers and 111; there's already been a substantial expansion of nursing roles in medical centres. I have a local (3 miles away) pharmacy now - but there were a couple of years between that one opening and a previous one closing, anything pharmacies do is dependent on availability ; 

akaDM

by Penguin - 2023-11-10 05:03:16

Thanks for the helpful information. 

'lower level of patient care' was a term I coined to describe the ailments for which the general public have historically been advised to visit pharmacies.  The House of Commons article refers to plans afoot to involve pharmacies more. 

'In May 2023, NHS England published its Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care. The Plan set out a £645 million investment, over two years, to expand services offered by community pharmacy. It committed to introducing a “Pharmacy First” service for patients, by the end of 2023. It would allow pharmacists to supply prescription only medicines for seven common conditions; sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.

The Delivery Plan also set out a commitment to expand the Blood Pressure Check Advanced Service, and to expand the Pharmacy Contraception Advanced Service.

I've consulted a GP for some of these issues, and I assumed that pharmacies were taking over from GPs for these conditions to alleviate pressure on GPs.  

It's just helpful to know where we, as patients, stand; where we should go for these ailments and what kind of service will be offered. 

Doctor, nurse, or pharmacists

by Selwyn - 2023-11-10 14:21:18

Pharmacists are not taught physical examination or pathology. 

I used teach nurses how to examine physically ( A post graduate, masters level course)

Medical students are taught pharmacology, pathology, physical examination etc. etc.

If you want a diagnosis through history taking, physical examination, and perhaps investigation, see a doctor or nurse practitioner. Doctors have a far wider grasp of pathology and investigative knowledge. Management of illness follows correct diagnosis.

This club site is full of grateful people that have received the correct diagnosis and management.  We also have many people that have not received the correct diagnosis and management.  It takes many years of training, reading, and experience to  get the right outcome. Here, in the UK, you hopefully see someone with that knowledge.