EXCLUSIVE

Supporters of the fight to overturn planned funding cuts in England should lend their support to an e-petition against the proposals, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has said.

NPA chairman Ian Strachan urged those who had not yet signed a parliamentary e-petition protesting against the government's plans to slash pharmacy funding by £170 million from October to do so, in a comment piece for C+D published today (June 8).

The e-petition – which had received over 63,700 signatures at time of going to press – will trigger a debate in parliament if it reaches 100,000.

The online petition is separate to a paper petition that had gained more than 1.8 million signatures by the time it was presented to Downing Street last month (May 24).

“Public sympathy” for the sector's funding is beginning to materialise in the form of public support from patient and citizen groups, Mr Strachan said. “This is a very helpful development, which officials and ministers would be foolish to ignore,” he added.

Pharmacy organisations will continue to “mobilise political action” against the cuts at both parliamentary and local levels, he said.

Read Mr Strachan’s full comment piece for C+D here.

Have you signed the e-petition?

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