London is going on to integrate the new government lifeline scheme, according to it hundreds of pharmacies will face to closure. Thousands of pharmacies across the country are at risk after ministers decided last month to cut 12 percent from the payments they receive from the NHS from December.
London gets rid of its small pharmacies, decided the government, its new lifeline scheme requires the reducing of small pharmacies’ number. These to be cut by a further 7.4 percent from April under the scheme to target NHS cash and cut funding in areas with “clusters” of pharmacies.
The National Pharmacy Association said only three London pharmacies qualified for help despite being in areas with “higher health needs”. The key word in this scheme is ‘qualified’. Between 470 and 750 pharmacies in London could face closure and MPs are today set to warn that this will lengthen the queues to see GPs.
While the Health minister David Mowat claims the Government’s aim is a creation of a “modern pharmacy sector that is fit for the 21st century”, the are an opposite opinion, too. Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s shadow health secretary argues:
“These cuts will be totally devastating for pharmacies and the people who rely on them.”
According to the study by the House of Commons library, only 15 threatened pharmacies in London qualified.
