EXCLUSIVE

Pharmacies should consider merging to combat government funding cuts, the Pharmacists' Defence Association has said. 

The DH said in December that there are “more pharmacies than necessary” in England, with 40% of businesses within a 10-minute walk of three or more others.

PDA chair Mr Koziol told C+D on Tuesday (March 15) that if some pharmacies merge, it would protect the sector from this accusation in the future.

Better clinical services

Combining businesses will also allow pharmacists to focus on clinical services, he said.

“If you maintain the capacity of two or three pharmacists working in one location, you could start to deploy a range of clinical services in a way you’ve never been able to do before because the pharmacist is too busy.”

The PDA discussed how pharmacies that wanted to merge could be “protected” with the Department of Health last week, he said. 

Mr Koziol stressed that none of the PDA’s discussions with the DH contradicted the efforts of other pharmacy bodies to prevent pharmacy closures.

“But they could springboard from what looks like a bad situation into one where pharmacy can deliver more efficiently and a wider range of services,” he said. 

The PDA launched its campaign against the pharmacy funding cuts last month.

It called on the government to examine the finances of companies that own both wholesalers and large multiples to find the money it needs for NHS savings.

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