Visit to Hoxton pharmacy to discuss health cuts

Pharmacies have a special place in our communities. They offer important services particularly to elderly and disabled people, and those with long term illnesses and provide vital support to over-stretched GP surgeries and hospitals.

Despite this, the Government has announced it will be pushing ahead with huge cuts to community pharmacy budgets.

I recently met with Raj Radia, owner of Spring Pharmacy and City & Hackney Local Pharmaceutical Committee Chair, with local Councillor Kam Adams to discuss concerns.

Raj has been running Spring Pharmacy for nearly 30 years providing a wide range of advice and support for patients.

But Raj and many other pharmacies are now under threat after the government announced severe funding cuts for community pharmacy.

The cuts represent a 12 per cent reduction on current funding levels for the rest of the 2015-16 financial year and a 7 per cent cut next year. The cost of these cuts will hit many pharmacies hard meaning up to 3,000 community pharmacies could close as a result.

For Hackney this will mean 12 are at risk of closure.

Please support your local pharmacy.