Decreasing Number of Pharmacies Across MV - Shrinking Number of Pharmacies in MV
In the eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the decline in public pharmacies has been a growing concern, particularly in recent years. According to the Ministry of Health in Schwerin, the number of public pharmacies decreased by ten in 2023, a more significant drop compared to the six recorded in the previous year.
Since 2014, the state has seen a total decrease of 49 public pharmacies, leaving it with 361 pharmacies, as reported in 2024. This decline is primarily due to demographic and economic factors typical of rural and less densely populated regions.
The challenges faced by pharmacies in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have been acknowledged, with some promising measures agreed upon in the coalition agreement to address these issues. These measures aim to secure pharmacy provision in structurally weak areas like Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, such as adapting pharmacy laws to better support rural pharmacies, improving financial incentives, and introducing frameworks to ensure pharmacy accessibility and sustainability.
One of the key aspects of these measures is the expectation of better pay for pharmacists in the state. The coalition agreement also outlines strategies like revising regulations to allow more flexible pharmacy operation models, targeted funding to sustain pharmacy services in underserved areas, and policies that encourage pharmacy establishment or retention in rural regions.
However, the previous government was unable to achieve a pharmacy reform. In response, the Minister of Health, Drese, has called for a reform from the federal government to address the challenges faced by pharmacies in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
The ratio of pharmacies to 100,000 inhabitants in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is 22.6, which is slightly above the federal average of 21. The state has a population of 16,136,000 inhabitants, as reported by the Ministry of Health.
To ensure the quick implementation of these agreed measures, they must now be turned into law. Additionally, pharmacists in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are expected to be relieved of bureaucracy and documentation requirements as part of these measures.
These measures are a step towards addressing the pharmacy shortages in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and improving the sustainability of rural pharmacies. For comprehensive, exact details on the coalition's agreed measures, one would need to consult the official coalition agreement documents or regional health ministry releases from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
The agreed measures in the coalition agreement aim to improve the health-and-wellness sector in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern by addressing the decline in public pharmacies, through revising laws, enhancing financial incentives, and ensuring pharmacy accessibility and sustainability, all driven by advances in science. The measures also involve better pay for pharmacists, reducing bureaucracy, and introducing flexible pharmacy operation models to secure pharmacy provision in strucutally weak regions.
