Westminster Hall
9 September 2026
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Westminster Hall House of Commons
00:12 - 00:16
Speaker 1
I call Shivani Raja to move the motion.
00:16 - 02:15
Speaker 2
I beg to move that this House has considered government funding for local pharmacies. It is an honor to serve under your chairmanship today, Mr. Betts, and I am pleased to sponsor this debate and thank colleagues from all sides of the House for joining me today to discuss this vital pillar of our primary care network. Community pharmacies are the frontline of healthcare in our constituencies. In Leicester East, they are not just a commercial premises, but are places that serve the very heart of our community. It is estimated that 1.6 million people access pharmacy services in neighborhoods every day, ranging from elderly residents accessing swift advice, busy families picking up emergency prescriptions, and vulnerable constituents using the opportunity to receive healthcare close to home without needing a GP appointment.
But despite this, across the country and in Leicester East, this crucial sector is reaching a tipping point. The NHS's own independent economic analysis of community pharmacy finances revealed that community pharmacies facing a funding gap of around 2.5 billion pounds. As a consequence of that, between 2016 and 2026, England has lost roughly 1,000 pharmacies. That's an 8% decline. In Leicester East, we have seen our local provision drop from 32 pharmacies down to 29.
That is a net loss of 9% of our local community network. Behind those numbers is the harsh reality for a vast number of people. Not only do we have to consider the impact of small business closures on our local high streets, but also the everyday consequences for residents who rely on pharmacies for their care. Although a loss of three pharmacies may sound like a minor shift, the real implication is deeply concerning. Fewer pharmacies mean longer journeys for frail patients, longer queues at the counters that remain open, and increased pressure on nearby GP surgeries that are forced to pick up the slack.
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