AN MP has delivered a petition to Parliament calling on the Government to protect local pharmacies after a Bradford pharmacist said the industry is on the “precipice of collapse” due to skyrocketing costs and added pressure from the NHS.

Joining with residents across Bradford South, Judith Cummins MP delivered a petition to Parliament this week calling for the protection of local pharmacies.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: MP Judith Cummins delivered a 'Save Our Pharmacies' petition to ParliamentMP Judith Cummins delivered a 'Save Our Pharmacies' petition to Parliament (Image: UGC)

Delivering the petition to Parliament, Ms Cummins said: “The Government has stripped proper funding for pharmacies to act as community access points for NHS support and face-to-face healthcare support.”

Ms Cummins delivered the petition with the backing of hundreds of people in Bradford who have expressed concerns over the challenges faced by their local community pharmacy in the Wyke area of Bradford South.

The petition urged the Government ‘to support pharmacies as they seek to recover from the pandemic, ensuring that they can continue to provide a high standard of care to patients within the community’.

James Currie, owner of Currie’s Chemist in Wyke, outlined the challenges faced by local pharmacies.

Mr Currie said: “Pharmacy funding has plummeted by 30 per cent since 2017 while our costs have sky-rocketed.

“We are doing our bit to ease pressure on our NHS by helping people live happily and independently in the community, but while the Government is encouraging chemists to support patients with a wider range of services, we aren’t seeing an increase in funding.

“This simply isn’t sustainable, and many pharmacies are on the precipice of collapse. We need proper support and fresh investment from the Government, or we face a domino effect that will see the end of community pharmacies.”

In their open letter, residents praised pharmacies as part of the fabric of the local community, saying: “Our local pharmacy is more than just a place to get medicines. It ensures people like us can get face-to-face health care advice and access to NHS support, often without the need for an appointment.”

Speaking following her speech in the House of Commons, Ms Cimmins said: “I recognise how important pharmacies are within our local communities. They provide vital public health services in a time when our National Health Service is stretched.

“The Government should recognise that if they allow the closure of community pharmacies, they will leave residents isolated and vulnerable, often struggling to access life-saving medicines.’ “The Government must not delay. We must act to preserve our local pharmacies before it is too late.”