Pharmacies in Dorset have voted to join collective action with others across the UK, saying they are under pressure.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) says its members “have been forced into an untenable position by a decade of underfunding”.

The trade association warned that pharmacists “don’t want to reduce services” but “will be left with no option” if there is not an adequate response from the Government on funding in the coming weeks.

The owner of Wessex Pharmacies on Lanehouse Rocks Road voted in favour of taking action. He said: "At the moment things are very tight and we do need more funding from the government. The number of services we provide is increasing and funding is going down, putting a lot of pressure on us.

"This year you are going to see a lot of pharmacies closing down."

Some 3,339 independent community pharmacies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part in the unprecedented ballot, a turnout of 64%.

Of those who voted, 97.8% said they would serve notice on opening hours above the minimum required by their contract, meaning fewer will be open in evenings and weekends.

According to the NPA, pharmacies are contracted to open for 40 hours a week minimum, although most are open for 50 hours a week on average.

Read more: Beaminster pharmacy in dire straits over lack of funding

Mike Hewitson is the owner of Beaminster Pharmacy on Hogshill. He said: "No pharmacy contractor wants to take any of these actions because we want to be helping our patients, but we can’t help anyone if we are not here.

"We’ve already seen pharmacies close locally in Lyme, Axminster and Portland because they are operating at a loss. Three-quarters of pharmacies are in this position, including us, I cannot predict which pharmacies are at risk, but Community Pharmacy England has predicted that as many as one in six may close over the next 12 months.

"This would see 20 pharmacies in Dorset close if this number is accurate. Even if pharmacies don’t close, patients can already see the impact of more than a decade of funding cuts and freezes: longer waiting times, rationing of some services, increases in medicines shortages and a network that is crying out for investment."

The NPA estimates about 700 pharmacies have shut down in England in the last two years, with more than 1,250 closing in the last decade.