Rural areas could become ‘pharmacy deserts’, new analysis shows 

Rural areas could be left as ‘pharmacy deserts’ if the current rate of pharmacy closures continues. 

This is according to new analysis by the NPA, which shows that rural areas have been hit hardest by a wave of pharmacy closures in the past two years.

Nearly nine in 10 council areas across England have lost vital pharmacies.

The NPA warned that England faces a material threat to the availability of vital medicines if a decade of underfunding and closures is not addressed. 

A number of rural areas are reliant on one or two providers, with these areas particularly vulnerable to the impact of closures. 

If a particular pharmacy company closes, then all the pharmacies in a specific area could close down leading to the creation of a ‘pharmacy desert’, the association warns.

The NPA is urging the Government to reverse the 40% real terms cuts to community pharmacy budgets over the last decade. 

These have forced over 1,500 to close and many more to cut back opening hours.

Key findings from the analysis:

• 87% of council areas have seen at one or more pharmacies close in their area in just the last two years
• 17 of the bottom 20 areas of the country for pharmacies per 100,000 people are councils covering rural areas
• 95% of the lowest 20 council areas for pharmacy provision have seen one or more pharmacy close in the last two years
• Council areas with the greater levels of deprivation have seen the highest levels of closures during the period, risking widening health inequalities 
• 80% of the top 20 areas for closures have higher than average levels of deprivation, including Plymouth, North East Lincolnshire, Liverpool and Torbay
• West Berkshire, the area with the lowest provision in the country, has over four times fewer pharmacies than Westminster per 100,000 of the population, the area with the highest provision.   

Government action needed

Many rural areas are at risk of being left with little or no pharmacy provision at all without urgent action from the government, NPA said.

This could potentially force vulnerable or older residents to travel long distances to get hold of vital medication or treatment.

Paul Rees, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association said:
“These shocking statistics show how a growing number of areas are at risk of becoming pharmacy deserts, with people in rural towns and villages having to travel longer and longer distances to get hold of the medication they need.

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“Many pharmacies are on the brink because of a decade of real term cuts, creating a material threat to the security of medicine supply in some areas if closures continue.

“It is also deeply concerning to see higher levels of pharmacy closures in deprived council areas, which has undermined government efforts to tackle health inequalities after the pandemic.

“The Government needs to act now to stabilise the pharmacy network and lay out a routemap for a properly funded future or they will put the supply of medicine to some areas at risk.

“Ministers must provide pharmacies with a new deal to fix the current broken contract now. This will halt the closures and allow pharmacies to deliver first class accessible healthcare on people’s doorsteps.”

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