Growing pharmacy closures in England threaten plans to ease pressure on GPs

Almost 1,000 pharmacies in England have closed since 2017, potentially leading to millions of extra GP appointments, the Guardian can exclusively reveal.

- Anna Bawden Michael Goodier

There are more than 11,000 pharmacies in England. Guardian analysis of the official register of these chemists has found that parts of the country have lost more than one in five pharmacies in the last six years, with poorer areas experiencing proportionally more closures.

Since the end of 2017, 953 pharmacies have disappeared in England – more than 7.7% of the total. Over the same period, Wales has lost 4%, while in Scotland the numbers have remained stable. In England, the rate of closures is spiralling rapidly, the data from the General Pharmaceutical Council shows. In 2017, the number of dispensing chemists grew by 15. But last year, 372 pharmacies closed, more than three times the number that shut in 2022 and more than any year since at least 2016. In contrast, in 2023, Wales lost 12 pharmacies and Scotland six.

The figures call into doubt efforts to relieve pressure on overstretched English GP surgeries. In January, NHS England launched its Pharmacy First initiative, to encourage patients with seven common conditions to visit their pharmacist instead of their GP. The Department of Health and Social Care claims the scheme will free up 10m GP appointments a year.

The rate of pharmacy closures is adding pressure on GPs, not easing it, evidence shows.