Two Hampton pharmacies were closed last autumn, forcing residents to walk up to 20 minutes to reach their nearest pharmacy.
Since the closures on Tangley Park Road and Priory Road, the situation for locals has yet to improve.
The latest application for a new pharmacy from Hampton residents was denied last month.
Twickenham MP Munira Wilson said: “This issue has been going on since the facilities closed last Autumn, so it is now and real.”
Wilson has been working with charity Healthwatch Richmond, who surveyed Hampton residents about the pharmacy closures found that they’ve led to increased waiting times, long queues at the Station Approach Pharmacy.
Elderly and vulnerable residents are one of the most impacted groups, as highlighted by Gill, 87, who spoke with Healthwatch Richmond about the difficulties she faces when collecting her medicine.
She said: “I find the current situation of chemist loss in Hampton quite difficult to cope with. It is totally frustrating and a most difficult situation.
“It wouldn’t matter as much if another company opened a pharmacy on the site, but instead it seems they’re turning it into a fish and chips shop.”
A spokesperson for Healthwatch Richmond said: “There is a clear need for a new pharmacy.”
An application for a new pharmacy in the area had been submitted in November 2023, but after a delay of four months the application was eventually denied.
Healthwatch Richmond CEO Mike Derry also shared that there are issues with decision-making involved in applications because they don’t consider local needs.
The closures follow a national trend, with over 1,200 pharmacies nationwide having been shut since 2015.
Wilson said: “If you talk with pharmacists, they say that a solution is better funding for pharmacies and proper reimbursement for medications, so that they could survive and thrive.”
