PHARMACIES will be turning lights out and their staff will be wearing black as they join a protest against funding cuts.

Across the UK, including Day Lewis Pharmacy in Wiveliscombe, pharmacies will join a day of protests against government funding cuts, this Thursday (June 20).

Day Lewis will be among the pharmacies taking part in the ‘One Day to Save Our Pharmacies’ action.

It comes as they experience severe financial problems and shutting down at the rate of 10 a week.

Since 2015, funding for pharmacies in England has been cut in real terms by 40 per cent and over 1,400 pharmacies have been forced to close during that time, according to National Pharmacy Association (NPA) data.

Sally Farmer, who works at the Day Lewis pharmacy, said: “We are drawing attention to the chronic underfunding that is putting unbearable pressure on community pharmacies like ours.

“We’ll be turning our pharmacy lights out on the morning of 20 June and our staff will be wearing black, to symbolise that these are dark times for the pharmacy network.

“Our patients are invited to sign a petition in the pharmacy, calling on the government and NHS officials to reverse the cuts and stop the closures.

“Despite the symbolic action we are taking, the pharmacy will remain open throughout the day to serve our patients and the wider community as usual".

Chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), Paul Rees, said: “Community pharmacies are in crisis, and this is a national emergency.

“Our 6000 member pharmacies and many others are saying ‘enough is enough’.

“Community pharmacies provide essential frontline health services, but they are being driven to the brink by a funding shortfall amounting to over a billion pounds a year.

“That’s why we’re supporting this day of action and calling on the government to take action to save our pharmacies.”

Patients who wish to show their support for their local pharmacies can share their thoughts on social media #SaveOurPharmacies.

The date of 20 June has been chosen as that is the day from which the average pharmacy will be loss-making overall, according to the NPA.

There is typically only enough NHS funding to cover costs for the first three weeks of any month – after which core NHS services including dispensing NHS prescriptions are effectively subsidised by the business.