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Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Janke (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Wednesday, 1 July 2026.

Pharmacy Closures

Question

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her response, but 65% of community pharmacies are now operating at a loss; 45% have been forced to rely on personal savings or remortgaging their own homes just to keep their doors open, mainly to vulnerable people with the highest levels of need. What is the Minister’s response to the fact that individual pharmacists are subsidising essential front-line services out of their own pockets? Given that the closures are hitting deprived communities the hardest, what specific measures is the Secretary of State taking to prevent the creation of pharmacy deserts in areas with the greatest health needs?

Answer

We are taking a number of actions on the point that the noble Baroness rightly raises. I have spoken about the uplift on the back of a major uplift in the two years previously. For underserved areas, the pharmacy access scheme provides financial support to pharmacies in areas where there are fewer of them. About 1,400 benefit from the scheme and they receive an average of £1,130 per month. Also on the question that the noble Baroness raised, local authorities

have health and well-being boards, which assess whether the local provision of pharmacy services meets the needs of the population. Integrated care boards make decisions on pharmacy openings, and they can directly commission a pharmacy if necessary.

Secondary information

Type
Oral question
Reference
857 c1032 
Session
2026-27
Oral question type
1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Closures Primary care Pharmacy
Link
View this Oral question on hansard.parliament.uk