The Budget which was announced by the Treasury earlier this week is ‘wrecking ball’ to community pharmacies. We call for Employers National Insurance (NI) to be exempt to our sector. Our new analysis carried out by our members reveals that the dramatic increases in Employers NI contributions and National Minimum Wage announced in the Budget will be risking many pharmacies to go out of business. The scale of this rise in Employers National Insurance is deeply worrying. This combined with other cost increases such as the increase in the national minimum wage are further body blows to the sector which is already struggling for survival.

Written by Leyla Hannbeck.

This article was written by AIMp CEO Dr Leyla Hannbeck outlining the key aspects of the Pharmacy First Scheme and emphasizing the benefits of the scheme for patient care, community pharmacy and general practice. The article was first published online in Guidelines in Practice in March 2024, and was developed by the expert author and Guidelines in Practice. For more expert articles on clinical guidance, please visit: medscape.co.uk/guidelines-in-practice

At the "Pharmacy in Crisis, Call to Action Webinar" held on 25th April 2023, we asked pharmacies and their patients to send letters to their local MPs.

Written by Leyla Hannbeck.

Download our Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to see the effects of Government funding and inflation on Pharmacies. View the statistics in real terms over the last decade and projecting into 2023.