Pharmacies under pressure: CPE survey results

Community pharmacies across England are under extreme financial and operational pressure, and patients are now feeling the impact every single day.

📌 Summary of Key Points

Community Pharmacy England’s 2026 Pharmacy Pressures Survey reveals a sector in crisis, with 75% of pharmacies losing money and widespread medicine shortages affecting patients daily.

💸 Financial distress

• Only 14% of pharmacies are currently profitable.
• 99% say NHS reimbursement does not cover medicine costs.
• Almost all (99.7%) report higher operating costs than last year.
• 25% of owners have taken no salary in the past year; 15% are using personal savings to keep their pharmacy open.
• Rising staffing costs, National Minimum Wage changes, and business rates are major concerns.

🧑‍⚕️ Impact on patients

• 76% of pharmacies say patients are being directly affected.
• 72% of pharmacy staff say shortages impact patients daily.
• 73% of pharmacies report longer waits for advice.
• 83% cannot respond to calls/emails promptly due to workload pressures.
• Staff in 39% of pharmacies cannot spend as much time supporting patients as they would like.

💊 Medicines shortages

• Record numbers of price concessions are being issued.
• 88% of staff say patients must visit multiple pharmacies to obtain medicines.
• 86% of pharmacies are spending longer sourcing stock than last year.
• In 30% of pharmacies, procurement is taking longer than ever.

🕒 Reduced services and opening hours

To manage costs:

• 18% are making staff redundant.
• 30% reduced opening hours in 2025; 21% expect further reductions in 2026.
• 29% may need to charge for previously free, unfunded services.

🗣️ Voices from the sector

Pharmacy owners and staff describe:

• Severe stress and mental health impacts.
• Hours spent sourcing medicines that are then dispensed at a loss.
• Patients becoming frustrated or distressed due to repeated shortages.
• Concerns that closures will worsen health inequalities and increase pressure on GPs and hospitals.

🛑 Overall conclusion

There is strong consensus that the current funding model is no longer fit for purpose. Community Pharmacy England warns that without urgent investment and a long‑term plan, closures will continue, harming patient access, local communities, and the wider NHS.

For more information about the survey results and additional resources, please visit CPE here.