Number of community pharmacists shoots up 19% in 5 years, data reveals
In 2022 there were almost 4,500 more pharmacists working in the community than there were in 2017, new figures released by the government have shown.
The number of pharmacists working in community pharmacy in England has increased from 23,284 in 2017 to 27,711 in 2022, pharmacy minister Andrea Leadsom revealed yesterday (December 14).
Responding to a parliamentary question from shadow health minister Karin Smyth, Ms Leadsom published information data from the 2022, 2021 and 2017 community pharmacy workforce surveys “as these were the only years of survey data collection”.
The data shows that in the five-year period there was a 19% increase in English community pharmacists.
However, the proportion of community pharmacists on the General Pharmaceutical Council’s (GPhC) register has stagnated compared to pharmacists working in other sectors over the same five-year period, according to data available as of October 31.
The data said that in 2017 community pharmacists made up 50% of all registered pharmacists, while in 2022 they made up 52% of registered pharmacists.
This is a drop of two percentage points from 2021, when community pharmacists made up 54% of pharmacists on the GPhC’s register.
Ms Leadsom stressed that the data is only “indicative as the survey data and GPhC register data are not directly comparable”.
She added that the data only represented “the headcount” of community pharmacists “at the time of the survey and excludes trainees”.
Number of Mpharm students spikes
Responding to another question from Karin Smyth yesterday, Ms Leadsom revealed that the number of students accepted on Mpharm courses in England has increased by a quarter in five years.
Data from the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) shows that in the 2022/23 academic year 3,590 students were accepted onto an Mpharm degree.
This marked a 24.82% increase from 2018/19, when 2,875 students were accepted.
Ms Leadsom said that “the number of training places for pharmacists in England is uncapped and determined each year by health education providers”.
“Enormous pressures”
Earlier this year, MPs highlighted that the sector was facing “enormous pressures” and flagged issues pharmacies had maintaining workforce numbers during a Westminster Hall debate in September.
At the time, health and social care committee (HSCC) chair Steve Brine noted that pharmacies were “struggling” to retain staff due to recruitment into primary care roles via the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS).
The 2023 compulsory workforce survey is set to close this week on December 17.
Read more: What will 2024 hold for community pharmacy?
Meanwhile, in June the government announced plans to increase pharmacist training places by 29% by 2028/29 announced as part of the NHS long term workforce plan.
At the time, the plan was welcomed as a “proactive approach” by some pharmacy leaders but others warned that it would “only deepen” the workforce crisis facing community pharmacy and said it was “another kick in the teeth” for the sector.
