'Steady decline' in community pharmacies across Teesside
It's due to funding and viability
People in Teesside are being urged to use their community pharmacies to stop further closures in the future.
We ar hearing some locations have already completely shut in deprived and rural areas due to funding and viability of the business.
Peter Horrocks, chair of Community Pharmacy Tees Valley, said: "There are a number of pharmacies that have closed over recent months and years and right now, we have the lowest number of community pharmacies premises that there has been for a good number of years, so that decline's been steady and it's a really threatening time for the stability of the community pharmacy network.
"It's around the viability of the actual business funding to the community pharmacy sector, which has has been reduced for a number of years, and until latterly where that's been partially addressed by the Government, it's forced a number of businesses to have to close.
"There are already some locations where pharmacies have completely closed and that's often in deprived and rural locations, and that's causing patients in those areas to have to access pharmaceutical services elsewhere from their usual area, because the sustainability of a pharmacy in that area is no longer guaranteed.
"Initially we need support from our patients when they talk with their MP or elected representatives to invest in the future of pharmacies and the services available. Second to that, is around actually using the services that are there and that are available because that obviously drives business and funding towards the pharmacy.
"The key NHS services available from pharmacies are what's called 'Pharmacy First' which allows for the treatment of certain condictions that previously you might have had to see your GP for treatment, but these can be safely treated in the community pharmacy; things like UTI, infected insect bites and sore throats."