MPs have condemned the 'unacceptable' delay in the pharmacy contract and raised concerns about 'uncertain' Pharmacy First funding beyond April.

In a letter to health secretary Wes Streeting, sent yesterday (17 March), Liberal Democrat spokesperson for health and social care Helen Morgan said the 'essential role' of pharmacies was at risk.

And she highlighted 'the concerning lack of confirmation for pharmacies' funding rates for the current financial year, which ends in just a few weeks'.

'This severity of a delay in contracting is unacceptable and adds further strain to an already struggling sector,' she said.

Ms Morgan warned: 'If current trends continue, many small towns and villages could face the possibility of a future without any community pharmacy at all.'

Many pharmacies are facing 'imminent closure' due to 'a deadly combination of a litany of financial pressures and an ongoing lack of support and clarity from the government', the letter said.

Dispensing at a loss means pharmacies are 'essentially subsidising the NHS at a time when their own financial sustainability is in jeopardy', Ms Morgan added.

Pressures will worsen in the coming months, with increased employment costs from April, she said.

And funding for Pharmacy First 'remains uncertain' when the current arrangement expires at the end of the first week of April.

'This is deeply worrying, given the important role that Pharmacy First plays in supporting local healthcare delivery and alleviating pressure on our overburdened NHS,' Ms Morgan added.

The letter urging action on the pharmacy contract was also signed by Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and 53 other Liberal Democrat MPs.

The future of many pharmacies is in doubt, with 900 closures expected by the end of 2027.If the Government is serious about shifting more care away from hospitals and into the community then community pharmacies must be supported.Our letter to Wes Streeting 👇

— Helen Morgan MP (@helenmorganlibdem.bsky.social) 2025-03-17T15:48:36.108Z

In response to the letter, a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson said: 'Community pharmacy has a vital role to play as we shift the focus of the NHS out of hospitals and into the community, through our Plan for Change.

'We are currently engaging with the sector on a settlement that will start to make it fit for the future and able to provide the services that will benefit patients and the communities that they serve.'

The letter to the government comes as the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has today advised its members in England to reduce their opening hours.