Barker slams Government plans for pharmacies

Under current Government proposals the requirements for a minimum distance from homes to pharmacies would be scrapped and replaced with a minimum distance from doctors' surgeries to pharmacies.

This could result in the loss of many dispensing practices that provide a vital service in rural communities.

The MP said: "This proposal makes no sense. By prohibiting dispensing GPs from dispensing if they are near a pharmacy and changing the rules on distances many rural communities will lose their most convenient dispensary.

"Given the Labour government's neglect of rural transport links and the high number of elderly people in our area who rely on regular visits to a pharmacy, this has the potential to be hugely disruptive, costly in terms of transportation and time and downright dangerous."