Shopping Centre Deregulation Threatens Future Of Community Pharmacies

25.10.03

Local MP Edward Davey today expressed serious concern over new Liberal Democrat research which revealed that Government proposals to deregulate the pharmacy market could lead to an eight-fold increase in the number of chemists entering the market, marking a further assault on the community pharmacy.

Despite widespread opposition to OFT proposals that recommend the liberalisation of the pharmaceutical sector and the abolition of entry controls into the pharmacy sector in order to open up competition the Liberal Democrats have revealed that under Labour's new proposals 389 large shopping developments in England will be exempt from the entry controls imposed on community pharmacies, and will be able open as many chemists as they like.

Edward Davey commented:

"The Government has merely been hoodwinking the public when it said that the future of the community pharmacy was safe.

"Over the last decade pharmacy numbers have remained stable, with around 50 pharmacies opening and closing annually. Under these proposals there is nothing to stop every one of these large shopping centres from opening one or more new chemists over night, marking an eight-fold increase.

"Unless the Government does a u-turn the elderly and those unable to travel further afield, could be left with no access to a local pharmacy as large shopping developments push them out of the market."