NPA ballot result: Pharmacy owners vote to withdraw services if funding uplift isn’t met

Community pharmacies are bracing themselves to withdraw services from patients after an industry ballot supported plans for major action unless the
government provided a significant increase in funding for the sector.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) on Tuesday (12) announced the results of an unprecedented collective action ballot in which nearly all pharmacy owners,
who participated in the ballot, voted to limit their services, insisting that a lack of additional funding is jeopardising patients health and safety.

Over 63 per cent of NPA members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part in the ballot– representing 3,049 independent community pharmacies in England
alone, or 3,399 with Wales and Northern Ireland included.

Nearly 98 per cent of pharmacy owners in England voted to reduce their opening hours to the minimum required by their contract. This could result in fewer
pharmacies remaining open during evenings and weekends.

More than 93 per cent voted to stop offering “unfunded” free home deliveries of medicines, and over 96 per cent voted to withdraw from locally commissioned
services, including certain addiction support, emergency contraception, and stop smoking services.