Watch Sunderland pharmacists in 'day of protest' against chronic underfunding and risk of closure

Pharmacists across the city have been dressed in black, have not been offering frontline services such as Pharmacy First and have had their lights turned off in a show of protest at what they have said is a “chronic” lack of funding from the Government.

In a day of protest as part of the national Save out Pharmacies campaign, patients have also been signing a petition which is going to be delivered to Parliament today (June 20).

The city’s chemists have cited a 30% real terms reduction in funding over the last decade.

With pharmacies on average relying on 90% of their funding from the NHS they say their funding was cut in 2016 from £2.8bn to £2.6bn and has remained the same ever since, despite an increase in energy, wage and drugs costs.

Twins Fiona Kerry and Karen Gaines are fourth generation pharmacists at Whitfield G Ltd pharmacies who currently run 10 chemists in the city - the first of which opened in 1919 - and one in North Tyneside.

Speaking dressed in black from their new pharmacy in Hetton, they said the pharmaceutical industry is being “devastated” by the current level of funding, with jobs and businesses under threat.

Fiona said: “My father and grandfather would be turning in their graves at the current situation.

“The situation at the moment is absolutely desperate. The Government provide a funding tariff which they know is less than what we have to pay for virtually all our medication.

“People think that the £9.90 they pay for their prescription charge goes to the pharmacy, but that is basically a tax which goes to the Government who then give us just £1.20 for each medication we dispense.

“We are basically making a loss on pretty much everything we sell but we have a duty of care to provide our patients with the medication they need. The Government know this and it’s being exploited.

“We’ve already had to cut back some of our services and opening hours as it’s simply not sustainable.”

It’s a sentiment shared by Herdman Chemists owners and pharmacists, Ilyas Zaheer and Chris Vaughan.

Ilyas, 30, who has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 10 years, said: “The Government has increased funding for GP surgeries and dentistry but has reduced funding for pharmacies which are a frontline service.

“It’s particularly frustrating when the Government is promoting its Pharmacy First policy with chemists expected to provide consultations and medications as a first point of call to take the pressure off GPs’ surgeries and hospitals, yet they are not funding it. 

“It is putting pharmacists in a really difficult position as we have a duty of care to provide the medicines people need but we are the only industry I am aware of which is knowingly making a loss on many of the products we provide.

“At this time of year a lot of people suffer from hay-fever and we lose £4 on every nasal spray we sell. It’s simply not sustainable.

“Funding has been increased for GP surgeries and dentistry, yet we have had our funding cut.”

Business partner Chris, 40, added: “Today is all about raising awareness as I think a lot of people are unaware of the current situation facing their local pharmacies.

“I know of a lot of pharmacists in the North East are saying they are going to have to close their doors unless there is an increase in funding.

“We are dressed in black as there is a dark shadow currently over the industry and without increased funding it really could be death of local pharmacies.”

The National Pharmacy Association’s Save Our Pharmacy Campaign has highlighted how 1,400 community pharmacies have closed in the last decade, with 75% of pharmacies currently in the red and ten closing each week. Karen, 59, said: “We desperately need an injection of funding to save us.

“Many pharmacies face going out of business. We employ over 100 people and jobs are obviously going to be at risk.

“At the moment we are paying our staff, but we can’t afford to pay ourselves.”

Greg Simpson, 56, has worked as a dispenser for 15 years, and is worried about his future.

He said: “I do worry about my job as I have seen first-hand the financial pressures being placed on Chris and Ilyas.

“Unless funding increases, it also creates a pretty bleak picture for people coming into the pharmaceutical industry as a future career. Who’s going to want to do it if we don’t have pharmacies on our high streets?”

Leos Vasilios, 41, opened Netscripts Direct Pharmacy in Seaham in 2021. Whilst his pharmacy provides a delivery service to local care homes rather than being public facing, he is also facing similar problems and joined his colleagues in wearing black for the day of action. He said: “Unless this funding situation is rectified, in the next 12 to 24 months you are going to see more pharmacies having to close their doors.

“We currently make no money or a loss on around a quarter of the medications we provide.

“Sometimes there are no cheaper alternatives for patients but we have a duty of care to provide the drugs patients need and this is being exploited.

“For instance you can’t let an epileptic patient go without the drugs they need.”

Putting patients’ health at risk

With pharmacies facing the prospect of closing, pharmacists working excessive hours and a shortage of vital medications, there is inevitably going to be a potentially detrimental impact on patients’ health.

Fiona said: “If local pharmacies close and more patients end up having to go online to order their medication then it’s going to put them massively at risk.

“If you need antibiotics then you need it now, not in two days time. You also lose that frontline service where your pharmacist is able to provide support and guidance to help with both physical and mental health.”

With the public now encouraged to go to their pharmacists as a first point of contact, any move to a predominantly online service will inevitably put further pressure on other already overstretched NHS services.

Ilyas said: “Ultimately we are part of the primary care service and if local pharmacies close it’s going to effect the whole network with even more pressure on dentists, A and E, GP surgeries and walk in centres.”

Herdman Chemists have already collected over 300 petition signatures from patients visiting their two chemists while over 2,000 people have signed the petition at Whitfield G pharmacies.

Two patients to sign the petition are George Dougherty, 59, from Ryhope and Jerry Clish, 87, from Hetton.

Jerry said: “I come to my pharmacy to get medication for prostate cancer and it’s vital I get it when I need it.

“I am fairly IT savvy, but if your pharmacy service was to go online then I know a lot of people my age who would struggle.

“You also lose that face-to-face help and advice.

George added: “I had a heart attack and so I come to my pharmacy each week for my medication. I need to be able to get it when I need it otherwise I would be at risk of another heart attack.

“I once tried to get it delivered, but the packaging wouldn’t fit through the letterbox.

“The NHS is broken and we really need an injection of cash for all the sectors.”

It’s a sentiment shared by the pharmacy owners.

Chris said: “The Government really need to listen to what pharmacists are saying and increase the level of funding to fill the deficit we are facing.

“They have increased funding for doctors and dentists, but we seem to have been forgotten.”

The Echo contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for a response to this situation. We were informed they could not comment due to being “in a pre-election period” and were advised to contact individual political parties.

We have contacted the Conservative Party, who have been in Government during the period covered in this story, and have not yet received a response.