I AM somewhat bemused over current attitudes towards pharmacies. To me they are places where prescriptions are dispensed along with sensible help and advice when one feels poorly or suffers minor cuts or burns.

In addition other services have been added so one can get a flu jab, obtain smoking cessation advice or get a blood pressure check at a local pharmacy.

To publicise such services in 2014 the Cheshire East Clinical Commissioners launched a campaign called ‘Think Pharmacy’ with the aim of discouraging people from visiting GP surgeries when it was not really necessary.

Also, changes took place in the way prescription medications are dispensed, and whereas previously one could order two months medications it was felt, in order to avoid waste, to limit prescriptions to only one month’s drug supply, and this change obviously resulted in more work for pharmacies.

The Government later came to realise that as a result of its policies and increases in population the number of pharmacies had increased and now it has decided that there are too many of our local friendly pharmacies!

So, having encouraged everyone to seek help at pharmacies and make more use of the valuable services they offer, in order to cut back on health care spending the government intends to cut the amount paid to pharmacies for their services.

Many small pharmacies will probably not remain financially viable, and will close, though doubtless the big boys beloved by Government will survive.

Mabel Taylor Knutsford