75% of pharmacies losing money as medicine shortages hit patients daily

iNews, Daily Mail

Community pharmacies across England are facing severe financial losses, with patients increasingly feeling the impact through delays to medicines and reduced access to care.  

New survey findings from Community Pharmacy England show that daily medicines shortages and rising operating pressures are affecting both pharmacy teams and the people who rely on them. 

Community pharmacies remain a vital front door to the NHS, providing accessible healthcare advice, medicines and clinical services without appointment. But the sector’s ability to deliver this care is increasingly under strain. 

Key findings include:

• Just 14% of pharmacies are currently profitable. 
• 76% of pharmacies report that patients are being impacted by the pressures facing the pharmacy business. 
• 72% of pharmacy team members report that their patients are affected daily by medicine shortages.

Read more in our national press release and news story. 

Our CEO, Janet Morrison, said:

“These stark results show us once again that pharmacies are not sustainable, and that the pressures on them are directly affecting patient access to medicines and care. It is very troubling that pharmacies are having to reduce opening hours and introduce new charges for things that have previously been free to patients – and this goes directly against Government’s ambitions to shift more healthcare, closer to home. And it is deeply concerning to see the depth of the financial crisis in the sector. 

Without further investment, pharmacy closures will continue and this will have very worrying consequences for patients and the public, impacting their access to medicines and advice directly. We know that closures often happen in areas where healthcare support is needed most, so this will worsen health inequalities. Further closures will also be devastating for wider local healthcare networks who will struggle to pick up the slack – pressure on GPs and hospitals will increase. And our local high streets, as well as local employment, will suffer. 

For all their sakes, and for the future of the NHS, community pharmacies need a sustainable future: meaning investment alongside a clear long-term plan for the sector.” 

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The survey findings have been covered by iNews and the Daily Mail.