About 6,000 community pharmacies in England are advised to start “working for rules” in two weeks, unless a new NHS contract can be compromised with the government.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) is urging its members to limit the hours to 40 for a week as the scheduled time in the current contract, as they have not yet found any confirmation of funding for this or next financial year.

They can also cut services like distributing medicines in people’s homes, drug addiction, stop-smoking help and emergency contraception.

The government said that this step would “be unnecessary disruption for patients” and an agreement with pharmacies was already being worked out.

The NHS contract of a pharmacy is about 90% of its revenue on average.

And from 1 April, with an increase in national insurance, national living wages and commercial rates, Pharmacies say that their contract is worried about lack of agreement.

The NPA says it comes at the top of a decade of funding, which has seen 30 pharmacies closed since the beginning of this year.

Some 3,000 pharmacy owners in England, Wales and Northern Ireland Voting in favor of action in November,

Nick Key, who presided over the NPA, said the pharmacies were “left with a low option”.

“It is better that we temporarily reduce access to short term, allowing pharmacies to fall completely under the weight of uncertain operating costs,” he said.

There was very little response from ministers and the impact of current uncertainty was “destructive” for pharmacies.

“We want to see patients, pay our employees, do not think about closing, and invest in our business for the future,” said Mr. Kay.