PHARMACY PRESSURES HITTING PATIENTS
We’re highlighting the daily medicines shortages and rising operating and financial pressures affecting pharmacy teams, businesses and those who rely on them.
WRITE TO YOUR MP
Pharmacy owners: Lend your voice by writing to your MP about the personal cost to you and your patients.
VISIT A PHARMACY
MPs: Witness the mounting challenges first hand at a pharmacy in your constituency.
76%
Pharmacies reporting that patients are being impacted by the pressures.
PATIENT CARE PAYING THE PRICE
▪ In nearly three quarters (73%) of pharmacies, patients are waiting longer to receive advice from pharmacy teams.
▪ 83% of pharmacies are unable to respond to patients’ phone calls and emails as promptly as usual due to the pressures they are facing.
▪ Staff in nearly two in five pharmacies (39%) are unable to spend as much time supporting and advising patients as they would like.
WE’RE INCREASINGLY BEING DIVERTED AWAY FROM PATIENT CARE TRYING TO SOURCE MEDICINES THAT SHOULD BE READILY AVAILABLE
Fin McCaul
Pharmacy owner in Greater Manchester
72%
Pharmacies team members saying their patients are affected daily by medicines shortages.
WORSENING MEDICINES SHORTAGES
▪ 88% of pharmacy team members say that patients are having to make repeat visits to multiple pharmacies to seek advice or obtain medicines.
▪ 86% of pharmacies are spending longer procuring medicines than they did last year.
▪ Pharmacy owners reported that in 30% of pharmacies, medicines procurement is taking longer than ever before.
FINANCIAL DISTRESS HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY SEVERE
▪ Almost all pharmacies (99.7%) report higher costs than last year.
▪ 99% say NHS reimbursement does not cover medicine costs.
▪ 95% cite rising staffing costs as a key pressure.
Pharmacy owners shared serious worries and concerns about future cost increases, including changes to National Minimum Wage and business rates. In one third (33%) of pharmacies, business owners are already looking at ways to further reduce costs which they believe will likely impact patients.
A quarter of pharmacy owners or directors (25%) have not taken any salary or income from the business in the past year and 15% have resorted to subsidising their pharmacy with personal savings just to keep it going.
MANY COLLEAGUES HAVE HAD TO RELY ON ADDITIONAL FINANCING SIMPLY TO COVER DAY-TO-DAY COSTS
Dervis Gurol
Pharmacy owner in the South East
MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS TO MANAGE COSTS
▪ Nearly one in five pharmacies (18%) are making staff redundant.
▪ 30% of pharmacies had already reduced opening hours during 2025.
▪ 21% of pharmacies are expected to have to reduce opening hours in 2026.
▪ 29% of pharmacies may need to start charging customers for unfunded services that were previously offered free of charge.
OVER A QUARTER OF PHARMACIES SURVEYED
Community Pharmacy England’s Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2026, which surveyed the owners of more than 2,900 pharmacies and 900 pharmacy team members, reveals the growing strain on both pharmacies and patients. Full summaries are available in the briefings below.
OUR CURRENT FUNDING DOESN’T REFLECT THE REAL-WORLD PRESSURES WE FACE
Fin McCaul
Pharmacy owner in Greater Manchester
