The Independent reports today that ministers were accused of piling more pressure on overcrowded GP surgeries and A&E departments after announcing cuts to pharmacies.

Opposition parties attacked the announcement that more than seven per cent will be slashed from funding for community pharmacies over the next two years, after weeks of speculation.

They said the reductions could trigger the closure of hundreds, if not thousands, of badly-needed high street pharmacies and were a “false economy”…

Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, said:

“The Government’s belief that cutting funding for community pharmacies will improve efficiency in the NHS is a complete false economy.

“These myopic plans will further increase pressure on GP surgeries and hospitals that are already buckling under the strain of limited resources and unprecedented demand for services.

“More people will be forced to take unnecessary trips to their GP and even A&E, which is completely counter to NHS England’s vision.”