The Epsom Guardian have published another very thorough article, this time on the looming threat to local Pharmacies.
You can read the online edition of the report by clicking here, and we have provided a copy for your reference below.
"At a meeting of MPs and peers at the All-Party Pharmacy Group in January, Mr Burt announced a six per cent cut in funding by October 2016 – from £2.8 billion to £2.63 billion."
You can read the summary document for the meeting of the All-Party Pharmacy Group meeting with Alastair Burt MP on the 13th of January 2016 here or here
Local pharmacies are vital to the health of the community, and are a vital cog in the wheel of healthcare in general, and KOSHH therefore supports this campaign fully.
This article details the case of three pharmacies in the Epsom and Ewell area, but the threat posed is national, we would therefore urge you to write to your MP, as advised in the article, even if you live in a different area as this is likely to affect you too.
“Although we compete with each other, if one of us was to close, we couldn’t provide the same level of service and care as other pharmacies."
We've been told that we don't need so many A&Es because there will be improved "Community Care" (for which funding is being cut), the NHS 111 service has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons, GP services are under threat through lack of funding, and now it seems that our local pharmacy services are also under attack, not to mention the well publicised assault upon our junior doctors, and the removal of Nurses' bursaries. What will be left when all these cuts are carried out?
What will be left?
Please click the links below to send an email to your local MP. You might ask them to take action in the houses of Parliament, and to actively oppose plans to reduce funding for pharmacies, and we at KOSHH would very much like to know if you receive a response:
Sutton & Cheam: Paul Scully MP
Epsom & Ewell: Chris Grayling MP
Mole Valley: Sir Paul Beresford MP
Carshalton & Wallington: Tom Brake MP
Mitcham & Morden: Siobhain McDonagh MP
If your Constituency / MP is not listed above, please use the following link, where you can enter your postcode to find your local MP and their contact details: TheyWorkForYou.com