Twickenham MP Munira Wilson has welcomed the news that a new pharmacy will be opening in Tangley Park, Hampton.

This follows a year-long campaign by local councillors, residents, and Munira after closures had left the area without a single pharmacy.

Munira and councillors worked closely with Healthwatch Richmond, who helped champion the needs of local residents.

 The closure of the Boots pharmacies in Tangley Park and Priory Road in late 2023 had left residents without vital pharmacy services.

Elderly and vulnerable residents were forced to travel long distances, whilst the additional pressure on pharmacies in neighbouring areas led to long queues and issues with prescriptions.

 In addition to the work by local councillors to push for a new pharmacy, Munira has raised the issue numerous times in Parliament, as well as with Boots, local health service leaders, and other organisations. 

Most recently, Munira held a debate in Parliament in July on community pharmacy provision.

 She said: "This news will come as a huge relief to local residents in Hampton, whose lives and health had been impacted by the lack of access to a local pharmacy.

"I'm glad that our calls to address the gap have been heeded, and Hampton residents will finally get the local pharmacy services they need and deserve."

 In the debate in Parliament in July, Munira had called on the Government to review community pharmacy funding and NHS bureaucracy, following the closures in Hampton.  

She had urged the Government to revisit the regulations around new pharmacy applications and how they are being implemented by NHS England, so that pharmacy gaps can be filled when they open up in areas like Hampton.

The pharmacy closures in Hampton follow national trends, with data from the Company Chemists' Association revealing that over 1,200 pharmacies have been closed nationwide since 2015.

Munira said: "With GP appointments scarce and other health services stretched beyond breaking point, it's crucial that the Government supports community pharmacies to ensure medicines, clinical services and medical advice can be accessed locally.

"The news that Tangley Park will finally have a local pharmacy again is welcome news indeed."