Public invited to share pharmacy experiences in new study

Individuals are being asked to share their experiences with pharmacies as part of an ongoing initiative that aims to assess the repercussions of recent closures and an expansion of services. Healthwatch Gloucestershire reported that it has received accounts of people needing to travel further or find alternative methods to obtain their prescriptions and access care. The organization has launched a questionnaire and will conduct public forums to gather insights from residents and pharmacists across the county. The Department of Health and Social Care affirmed its dedication to supporting community pharmacists. This initiative comes after the National Pharmacy Association issued a warning last month, indicating that rural areas nationwide were at risk of becoming “pharmacy deserts.” Lucy White, who manages Healthwatch Gloucestershire, commented that pharmacies are a “hot topic” among those who contact them by phone or email. “What we’re hearing up to this point about the impact that closures (of pharmacies) are having in terms of people having to travel further, about prescriptions sometimes being delayed and that causing anxiety for people who are on long-term medications,” she stated. She added, “We’ve also been hearing through our channels about medication shortages, that people have been offered alternative brands.” Pharmacist Muhammed Ahmed, who operates Allcare Pharmacy in Gloucester, remarked: “The pharmacy sector has always been a bouncy one because of funding. There has been an issue with getting medicines since Brexit happened, so there has been a shortage of medicines.” He continued: “There have been issues with NHS funding and pharmacy funding. The price we’re buying them (medicines) in at is more expensive than what we’re being reimbursed for. “Each individual pharmacy is a business and sometimes the margin becomes so tight that it’s very difficult for us to carry on.” The research is expected to be finalized by the end of the year, with the goal of publishing a report next spring. Ms White emphasized, “We appreciate that everyone’s experience might be different depending on different areas of the county so we really want to hear as many voices as possible to get that full picture and make some informed recommendations about how services can be improved in the county.” A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care declared: “This government inherited a broken NHS where pharmacies have been neglected for years.“We are committed to supporting community pharmacists, which have a vital role to play as we pursue our mission to shift the focus of care out of hospitals and into the community .” For updates, follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story suggestions can be sent via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for material found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.