Rachael Maskell MP meeting the staff at The Priory Pharmacy at Priory Medical Centre, Acomb. Rachael visited to see the work that community pharmacies do every day, as well as hearing concerns about how these might be affected by recently announced cuts to community pharmacy funding.

Rachael Maskell MP for York Central said:
“For most of us, there’s a community pharmacy very close by and pharmacists can be the first point of advice and health screening. The government’s planned changes mean that the number of community pharmacies are expected to be cut and in their place large-scale automated dispensing could be introduced, removing the face to face contact and advice services that community pharmacies currently provide.

Martina Khan, the Superintendent Pharmacist and Pharmacist Manager at the Priory Pharmacy, said:
“We are more than a great value dispensing service -; we provide health information, advice and interventions. We do far more and the general public recognise and value it. We are a trusted and very accessible part of primary care. Community pharmacies are the closest point of access for many patients and build a strong relationship with their regular patients and the wider community.”