Pharmacy closures in England Briefing Report

Between 1 January and 31 December 2023, they found that:

• 436 pharmacies closed permanently in England. This amounts to more than eight pharmacies closing every week. 
• There is significant variation in the rate of permanent pharmacy closures. At the lower end, some ICBs saw only 1% of their pharmacies close permanently, while at the upper end, one ICB saw 11% of its pharmacies close permanently.
• 13,863 instances of temporary closure were recorded. 46,823 hours were lost to temporary closure, the equivalent of 5,852 standard pharmacy working days. 
• At the ICB level, the number of hours of temporary closure ranged from 0.42 hours per pharmacy to 17.48 hours per pharmacy. 
• The main reason for temporary pharmacy closures across England is a lack of available staff. 
• Higher rates of both permanent and temporary closure were recorded in areas that were rural, had older populations, and had fewer GPs per head. 

Locally they found that Devon had more hours of temporary pharmacy closures compared to the rest of the South West, with:

• 12 permanent closures (5.2% of the total number of pharmacies).
• 769 temporary closures.
• 2,848 hours of temporary closures.

Healthwatch recommendations 

To reduce the impact of pharmacy closures on pharmacy users, Healthwatch England recommends: 

• Cross-system work to ensure patients are better notified of pharmacy closures and that pharmacy teams have enacted improved contingency plans. 
• A national evaluation to consider issues facing pharmacy, including workforce, funding, data, and estates. 

For more information and to see an interactive map of pharmacy closures, please visit: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/news/2024-09-26/temporary-closures-add-crisis-community-pharmacies