BSIP SA / Alamy Stock Photo
The number of pharmacists working in community pharmacies in England dropped by 10% between 2024 and 2025, according to the results of the most recent NHS England ‘Community pharmacy workforce survey’.
Published on 19 May 2026, the survey results also revealed that the number of community pharmacists who qualified as independent prescribers increased in the same time period — from 2,513 in 2024 to 3,154 in 2025 (or 1,996 full-time equivalent [FTE] in 2024 to 2,346 FTE in 2025). This increase equates to 12% of the total pharmacist workforce, the results showed.
The survey also highlighted that 53% of those community pharmacists who qualified as independent prescribers in 2025 said they were currently using their skill in community pharmacy — including in private practice — compared with just 7% in 2024.
Amandeep Doll, director for England at the Royal College of Pharmacy, commented: “This survey highlights both the pressures facing the sector and the opportunity for pharmacists to deliver more care for patients.
“It’s encouraging to see growth in pharmacist independent prescribers and in those actively using their prescribing qualification in practice. As the government looks to shift more care into the community, there is a clear opportunity to build on services, such as Pharmacy First, and make full use of pharmacist prescribers across the NHS.
“With continued pressure on pharmacy teams, sustained investment and long-term workforce planning will be crucial to unlocking community pharmacy’s potential to boost patient access to primary care.”
The survey results showed that in 2025, there were 25,822 pharmacists working in community, compared with 28,763 in 2024, which equates to 17,415 FTE pharmacists in 2025, compared with 18,927 in 2024 — a fall of 7% in FTE terms.
Nick Thayer, head of policy at the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), commented: “We are alarmed by the sharp fall in pharmacist numbers, with the workforce decreasing by nearly 3,000 pharmacists in just one year. A 10% reduction in pharmacist numbers is hugely concerning. This comes at a time when the workload expected of the community pharmacy sector continues to rise considerably.
“Pharmacist numbers going down as rapidly as they are raises serious concerns about workforce sustainability and capacity. Urgent action, including additional funding, is needed to stabilise the workforce and prevent further decline.”
Over the same time period, the survey showed that the FTE vacancy rate for pharmacists declined by 13%, from 3,462 in 2024 to 3,000 in 2025, while the number of community pharmacies operating in England fell by 0.5%, from 10,554 at the time of the 2024 survey to 10,495 in 2025.
