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NPA Press Office

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) press office is the link between the organisation and the media.  The team provides the press with opinion from key decision makers at the NPA and access to media trained pharmacists working in community pharmacy.  It handles enquiries from print, online and broadcast journalists, documentary makers and press officers from other organisations.

Contact the press office

Sarah White
Press Officer
Tel: 01727 795901
Email: s.white@npa.co.uk

Stephen Fishwick
Head of External Communications
Tel:  01727 795901
Email:  s.fishwick@npa.co.uk

Out of hours (for journalists only): 07920 203 051

If you are a journalist and would like to be added to the NPA press release list please email Sarah or use the general email address:  communications@npa.co.uk

 

Community pharmacy statistics

Pharmacy fast facts
 

The survey summary findings below were conducted in England by Continental Research via the TNS CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) Omnibus.

 Interviewing was conducted from 28 November – 02 December 2007.

    • The majority of adults use pharmacies with 84% of adults visiting a pharmacy at least once a year and 78% visiting a pharmacy for health related reasons at least once a year.
    • Adults in England visit pharmacies on average 14 times per year and on average of 11 visits per year specifically for health related reasons.
    • Frequent users of pharmacies include females, those aged over 35 and those with a long term health condition or disability (LTC). Those working full time visit pharmacies less frequently than other groups.
    • If gender and age are considered together, the highest frequency pharmacy users are females aged 35-74 and males aged over 55. Males aged 16-24 use pharmacies the least.
    • Gender, age, speaking English as a main language and having a long term condition or disability are all key drivers of pharmacy usage, in that order.
    • Pharmacies are mainly used to get medication that has been prescribed by a doctor and to purchase supplies of over the counter medication, either for a regular condition or for a one off condition.
    • The majority of people visit the same pharmacy all of the time with around a third of people using a variety of pharmacies but one most often. Those with long term health conditions or disabilities and those who live in rural areas are more likely to visit the same pharmacy.
    • The main types of pharmacy used are sole traders/small businesses and national chains.
    •  Most people visit pharmacies in the area near where they live.
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    General Pharmaceutical Services in England 2000-01 to 2009-10

    This publication shows information about services provided by community pharmacies in England in contract with Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to dispense NHS prescriptions between 2000-01 and 2009-10.

Below is a summary of key facts contained in this publication:

  • NHS Business Services Authority reports show that there were 10,691 community pharmacies in England at 31 March 2010, compared to 10,475 at 31 March 2009, an increase of 216 (2 percent).
  • The number of prescription items dispensed by community pharmacies in England in 2009-10 was 813.3 million compared to the 80.7 million items dispensed by GPs and 5.2 million by appliance contractors.  This was an increase of 41.8 million (5 percent) from 2008-09 when the figure for community pharmacies was 771.5 million.
  • The number of dispensing fees received by community pharmacies in England increased by 43.7 million to 838.3 million in 2009-10 from 795.1 million (5 percent) in 2008-09.
  • Primary Care Trusts reported that between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010, 215 new pharmacies opened (excluding changes in ownership) and 41 closed.
  • At 31 March 2010, 61 percent of community pharmacies in England were owned by multiple contractors with North Somerset PCT recording the highest figure at 89 percent and Islington PCT the lowest at 18 percent.
  • 29,526 local enhanced services were provided by community pharmacy contractors in England in 2009-10 compared to 26,970 in 2008-09 an increase of 9 percent.  The most frequent services provided in 2009-10 have remained unchanged since 2006-07.  These are Stop Smoking support, Supervised Administration, Minor Ailment Schemes and supply via Patient Group Directions.
  • A total of 1.7 million Medicines Use Reviews (MUR) were conducted by community pharmacy contractors in England in 2009-10, compared to 1.4 million in 2008-09, an increase of 309,820 (22 percent).