BRADFORD South MP Judith Cummins has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock MP to urge him to support community pharmacies through the Covid-19 outbreak.

Following discussions with Community Pharmacy West Yorkshire, Mrs Cummins wrote to the Health Secretary to raise a number of issues pharmacies are facing and to ask for additional funding to enable them to support communities through the crisis.

The demand on community pharmacies has increased significantly and will continue to do so during this outbreak.

The Government has announced that community pharmacies will deliver prescriptions but, according to the Community Pharmacy Network, they do not yet have a funded service to support this.

Community Pharmacy West Yorkshire are calling on the public to: avoid pharmacies if you are showing symptoms of Covid-19; be patient and recognise that all pharmacies are under immense pressure; and order medicines as normal without stockpiling.

Due to increased demand for delivery, they are also urging people to ask someone, such as a friend or family member, to pick up prescriptions from the local pharmacy if possible.

In the letter, Judith calls on the Government to “set out what additional financial support and other resources will be provided to ensure the continuity of pharmacy services during the COVID-19 outbreak".

She said: “I am supporting many of the steps the Government is taking to tackle this public health emergency and save lives.

"But they must ensure that vital services, such as community pharmacies, have the resources they need over the coming weeks and months.

"Pharmacies will play a vital role in delivering medicines to those who need them but they must be properly supported by the Government. I hope the Government will act urgently to address this issue.”