UK pharmacists make history with first-ever vote to cut vital services
Local pharmacies might stop weekend work and cut back on key health services after unprecedented vote. Nearly all independent pharmacists supported reducing their work hours in response to funding problems
In a ground-breaking move this Nov‚ pharmacists across UK voted to limit their work-time (something that has never happened before in their field). The voting turnout reached 64% with 3‚339 drug-stores from England Wales and Northern Ireland taking part
Most shops might soon stop working on week-ends and cut down extra hours: while they must work 40hrs per week many now stay open for about 50. The vote showed that 97.8% of participants support this change. They also plan to stop some non-required services:
- Stop-smoking help
- Birth-control pills
- Drug-addiction support
- Special medicine packs (except disability-related ones)
As a third-generation pharmacist I deeply care about my patients as do pharmacy teams across the country but I have never experienced a situation as desperate as this
The National Pharmacy Association chairman Nick Kaye points out that about 700 stores closed in just two years; with more than 1‚250 shut-downs in past decade. He says they dont want to cut services but see no other way-out without proper funding
This follows similar actions by family doctors who started their protest in Apr. The British Medical Association says 99% of 19‚000 doctors voted against new rules that give just 1.9% more money. In Aug they made a list of things to do - like seeing only 25 patients daily
