Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on the number of pharmacies in Northumberland that were contracted to be open for 100 hours a week on 23 January 2024.

On 31 December 2023, there were 68 pharmacies in Northumberland, including five that were contracted to be open for at least 72 hours. On 31 December 2019, there were 71 pharmacies in Northumberland, including six that were contracted to be open for at least 100 hours.

In May 2023 new legislation came into force which enabled 100-hour pharmacies to reduce their minimum number of opening hours to 72, to support the viability of those pharmacies and prevent them from closing.