A LATE-NIGHT pharmacy in York is temporarily closing its doors earlier because of staffing problems.

Monkbar Pharmacy in Goodramgate usually opens each evening until 10.30pm but, from today, it will close at 8pm from Monday to Saturday, while Sunday's opening hours remain unchanged at 8.30 am to 6.30pm.

Manager Vikki Furneaux said staffing difficulties were being experienced nationally due to insufficient government funding, increases in costs, high demand for services and escalating levels of abuse towards pharmacy teams.

But in addition to this, Monk Bar's small independent team would also be experiencing some temporary increases in absence levels over coming months. 

"We have made the difficult decision to temporarily reduce our opening hours in order to ensure we can support our growing team and continue to provide the consistent and high levels of service that we are well known for," she said.

"This comes following a summer of sudden and unpredictable pharmacy closures in York and around the country fuelled by spiralling staff, energy and medicine costs and a staffing crisis in community pharmacy. 

"Government funding for community pharmacy has remained static since it was reduced in 2016. This is the first time that Monkbar Pharmacy has reduced its working hours during this period. 

"We have only closed our doors early on two occasions in our 10 year history and both only for a few hours so this is very new for us." 

She said she knew that many people used and relied on the late night service and she hoped to be able to open for the usual long hours in early 2023.

She added that alternative late night pharmacies were available in in York at Tesco Pharmacy, Askham Bar, Priory Pharmacy, Cornlands Rd, Acomb, City Wide Pharmacy, New Lane, Huntington, and City Wide Pharmacy, Wyre Court, Haxby.