Pharmacists in Watford are worried about their futures after proposed funding cuts were announced.

They have been told they could lose up to £30,000 a year each, equivalent to a member of staff's wages, and fear losing staff would impair their ability to function effectively.

They are calling on their customers to write to MP Chris Grayling about the importance of community pharmacies.

The owner of Cassiobury Vantage Pharmacy, Chemilab Pharmacy and Leavesden Pharmacy Girish Mehta said he was worried about their futures after health minister Alistair Burt announced cuts to funding.

Mr Mehta has been in Watford for more than 30 years and chairs the Hertfordshire Local Pharmaceutical Committee.

The 55-year-old said: "Community pharmacies are an essential part of the town."The NHS is at crisis point, and we are here as an alternative to going to hospital and GPs, so to cut our funding does not make sense.

"It will definitely effect how we can function as we are set to lose 60 per cent of funding if cuts go ahead.

"We should be used more, not facing cuts.

"Obviously for us the biggest focus is the patients, and it will be them that lose out if cuts go ahead.

At a meeting of MPs and peers at the All-Party Pharmacy Group in January, Mr Burt announced a six per cent cut in funding by October 2016 – from £2.8 billion to £2.63 billion.

Mr Burt said the extent of closures would depend on the ability of individual pharmacies to cope with the cuts but warned that smaller, independent pharmacies were most likely to be affected.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee estimate that one in four shops could be forced to close.

“I’d like to see their role as a first point of contact encouraged even further and make the most out of these great local resources.”

Councillor Keith Crout who represents Stanborough Ward said: “It appears that the Government want to save £170 million from this part of the NHS budget and in order to do so they want to axe the £25,000 annual payment to chemists that help them to run their businesses.

"But they also want to adopt what they call the hub and spoke method whereby prescriptions are dispensed from one central hub in the town to lots of smaller outlets that are available for people to pick up prescriptions.”

MP Richard Harrington added: “Our local pharmacies are really important, a first point of contact with health professionals and a friendly face for advice when we are well and unwell.

“I’d like to see their role as a first point of contact encouraged even further and make the most out of these great local resources.”

The consultation is open until March 24.

An online petition opposing the cuts has had more than 45,000 signatures.