PHARMACIES: A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW

One a day shuts in funding drain

- MIKEY SMITH

RECORD chemist closures after years of "chronic underfunding" could threaten Rishi Sunak's flagship health policy.

The Prime Minister - who is the son of a pharmacist - this week launched his Pharmacy First scheme to free up GP appointments by letting chemists prescribe antibiotics and antivirals for common conditions.

But NHS figures show at least one chemist outlet disappears every day in England with 394 shutting last year as desperate owners struggle because of underfunding and rising costs.