Government plans to slash pharmacy funding will heap pressure on stretched GP practices and A&E departments.

That’s the warning from the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which said today (March 22) that two in five patients would visit a doctor if it became more difficult to treat common conditions at their local pharmacy.

Over a million extra people nationwide will visit A&E if the 6% global sum cut in England goes ahead, according to its research of 2,000 patients.

NPA chair Ian Strachan said: “The Department of Health says it wants efficiencies, yet its plans for pharmacy would build inefficiencies into the system.”

The organisation also revealed this week that it has amassed more than 200,000 signatures on its petition against the government plans.

The petition urges Prime Minister David Cameron to personally intervene and stop the cuts from happening.

Patient group: Pharmacy first for minor illness

The NPA research comes after patient group Healthwatch England revealed patients would rather go to their pharmacist than their GP for minor illness treatment.

The group is one of the patient bodies involved in the government consultation on its planned funding cuts.

Joint Healthwatch England and YouGov polling last year shows three quarters of people would see their pharmacist over their GP to get medication for a minor illness.

More than half of patients would go to a pharmacist to seek advice for a specific minor illness or injury.

A third would consider using a pharmacy instead of a GP for general medical advice, it added.

How would the funding cuts affect patients in your area?

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