Community Pharmacies | House of Commons

For some people, the local pharmacy is their only contact with a health professional, providing access to invaluable health advice and enabling older people to live more independently.

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Key messages

Councils want every local area to have a strong community pharmacy network, particularly those in deprived areas with the greatest health needs, or rural communities with the furthest distance to travel. It is important that the Government ensures this is delivered through the Pharmacy Access Scheme.

The closure of community pharmacies could leave many isolated and vulnerable residents, particularly in deprived and rural areas, struggling to access pharmacies for their potentially life-saving medicines.

Local pharmacies should be expanded within their communities, providing important public health services such as health checks, smoking cessation, sexual health, screening and immunisations, in addition to dispensing and selling medicines.