THE threat to the future of community pharmacies has caused grave concern in Bolton, where many elderly and vulnerable people fear their local chemists could be forced out of business if outlets open in supermarkets.

Bolton North-East MP David Crausby grilled health ministers in the Commons, keeping up the pressure on ministers attempting to abolish restrictions on where chemists can be set up.

The Office of Fair Trading recommended the changes, believing they would result in more pharmacies, improved services and more price competition.

However, community groups and some chemist shop owners fear it would cause pharmacies to move out of unprofitable areas, leaving gaps in provision and an increase in "out-of-town" pharmacies.

After the debate, Mr Crausby said: "This issue is vitally important to vulnerable patients, such as the elderly and disabled."

During the Commons debate on pharmacies, Mr Crausby asked the Health Secretary Alan Milburn what plans he had to ensure that vulnerable patients would continue to have easy access to local pharmacies.

He also demanded to know what plans there were to address the increased demand on the pharmacy work-force and to use chemists to ease the pressure on doctors.

Junior minister David Lammy said that securing adequate numbers in the pharmacy workforce and developing the roles of pharmacists and their staff was central to the success of the Government's strategy.

"Community pharmacists have an important role to play in our plans to expand National Health services, thereby relieving pressures on general practitioners while making better use of their own skills," he said.

Mr Crausby, a member of the Parliamentary All Party Pharmacy Group, had earlier signed a petition claiming chemists would be squeezed by the plans.

He said he had received an "enormous" number of letters from constituents, including three petitions signed by hundreds of people, calling for the Government to rethink plans to de-regulate the industry.

He has forwarded them all to the ministers responsible for the plans.