Helen backs Save Our Pharmacies campaign on visit to Whitchurch

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has offered her support for the National Pharmacy Association’s Save Our Pharmacies campaign after a visit to Green End at Whitchurch.

The MP – who is now the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health and Care – says that ‘deserts’ are being created in many rural areas, with seven pharmacies closing every week and many in rural areas and market towns struggling to keep their doors open.

This is often due to pharmacies making losses on dispensing medicines due to not being fully reimbursed for the cost of many prescription drugs.

The National Pharmacy Association say that a record number of pharmacies are shutting down, calling the NHS drug payment system ‘utterly broken’. They are calling for significant investment in NHS Community Pharmacy schemes to support the sector and ensure the most vulnerable are provided for.

In Helen’s recent Opposition Day debate on Primary Care, she raised the problems many pharmacies are facing with keeping stock and operating sustainably, referencing Green End in her comments.

She also highlighted constituents who have faced 30-mile drives to access urgent medication because of the lack of late-night pharmacies in North Shropshire.

Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat MP for North Shropshire, said, “Independent community pharmacies offer a huge amount to the customers they serve both here in North Shropshire and across the country.

 “Despite this, seven pharmacies are closing every week, creating deserts in many of our most rural areas. That isn’t good enough, and creates a system where many cannot access the support and medicines they need.

 “It was very useful to meet with the team at Green End Pharmacy in Whitchurch and offer my support to the Save Our Pharmacies campaign and sign their petition.”