Read my letter to the Health Secretary about Leatside Pharmacy

This week, I wrote to the Health Secretary on behalf of the 15,000 patients registered at Leatside Surgery in Totnes, calling for the in-housing pharmacy there to be reopened.

Tackling the closures of rural pharmacies has been a big focus of mine. We’ve lost too many in South Devon thanks to a funding model that doesn’t account for the unique challenges rural pharmacies face.

Recently, I asked the Health Minister if the Government was considering introducing rural exceptions to the existing funding model. You can watch our exchange here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mttvH_HFM8s

The loss of Leatside Pharmacy has been keenly felt, with many in Totnes and beyond having to rely on the town’s two remaining pharmacies, which are not easily accessible to all patients due to distance, mobility issues, and limited capacity.

The Leatside Patient Group has done a stellar job in highlighting the issues created by the pharmacy’s closure. Their petition attracted over 2,000 signatures, and I was delighted to submit their comprehensive report on the situation to the Health Secretary, along with my letter.