Mr Hewitson believes pharmacies are a “lifeline” in many communities where patients struggle to get an appointment to see their GP.
He says: “Pharmacies increasingly are struggling to cover the cost of doing business, whether that’s buying medicines on behalf of the NHS for their patients, whether that’s paying their staff or vital repairs.”
His pharmacy has a leaky roof that he cannot afford to have fixed because he says he is prioritising paying his staff and paying for medicine.
In some cases, pharmacies are having to “subsidise the NHS and the supply of medicines to individual patients,” Mr Hewitson claims.
The Community Pharmacy England survey found that 73% of pharmacy team members reported supply issues are putting patients health at risk.