Analysis by online delivery firm Gophr paints a concerning picture for the pharmacy sector in England, with outlet numbers continuing to decrease.
As part of its ‘Prescription For Pressure’ initiative, Gophr has lifted the lid on the increasing difficulties faced by the industry, with a significant amount of the population now living in ‘pharmacy deserts’ – a term that refers to a growing number of people in an urban area trying to access a diminishing pool of pharmacies.
Meanwhile, Gophr notes that the government’s ‘Pharmacy First’ initiative (allowing patients to be referred to a community pharmacy for a minor illness or an urgent repeat medicine supply) has created an even greater workload for already overstretched pharmacists, while supermarket pharmacy closures have also added to the strain.
Gophr’s research found:
- In 2023, pharmacists dispensed 1.18 billion prescriptions across England – 137 million more than in 2022
- Pharmacy numbers have dropped from 11,522 in 2022 to 11,414 in 2023, a fall of 108.
- The average number of prescriptions per pharmacy sits at 103,380 , which equates to 283 a day
Gophr’s data also revealed that pharmacy deserts are most prevalent in the South East (6,024 people per pharmacy), the East of England (5,327), the South West (5,284) and the Midlands (4,975) – parts of the country where numbers of pharmacies are lagging behind population numbers. London, which “ranked highly” last year, dropped out of the top four with 4,759 people per pharmacy.
Supermarket data analysed by Gophr, which works as delivery partner for pharmacies such as Superdrug and Well Pharmacy, also found that chains such as Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s have seen more and more in-store pharmacies shut down in recent years – the most high profile being Sainsbury’s closure of all 237 in-store Lloyds pharmacies in June 2023.
Demand for pharmacy services is also being driven by an ageing population. Across England and Wales, people aged 65 and over now account for nearly 20% (18.6%) of the population.
Graham Smith, Strategic Account Director at Gophr, commented: “The second year of data from our ‘Prescription for Pressure’ initiative shows that the pressures on pharmacies continue to grow. More prescriptions, more patients, more responsibilities, but fewer pharmacies does not make for pretty reading and this new analysis really brings it home.
“The sector needs to rethink how it serves its patients, as the current solutions that are being provided by in-house pharmacy delivery teams, are proving costly, time-consuming and ultimately a distraction from clinical focus.”
NAM Implications:
- This report causes us to ask if the current or future governments really want the NHS to work in its present form…
- …rather than be privatised.
- And looking at the various disincentives and remuneration issues, provides nothing to contradict that view…
- A pity if a slow reduction in service level is allowed to cause voters to opt for privatisation….
- …at the expense of the poor and elderly.
