Community pharmacy workforce survey

Benefits of the survey

• the 2024 survey maintains a consistent approach to the previous surveys, focusing on the number of staff, the number of full-time equivalents (FTE) and any vacancies in each of ten staff categories employed in community pharmacy
• the insight provided by the 2024 survey collection is helping NHS England, employers and stakeholders to inform future investment in education and training, and effective workforce planning, across all sectors of pharmacy
• the 2023 survey data set helps to raise the visibility of community pharmacy as a vital part of integrated care systems and supports ongoing commitment to develop the whole pharmacy workforce

Background

Health Education England (HEE), working with NHS England, commissioned the first community pharmacy workforce survey across England in 2017. From 2021 this survey has been repeated annually to help understand the size and make-up of the community pharmacy workforce and to support NHS England Workforce Training and Education directorate (formerly HEE) and partners to inform future planning and investment decisions.

The focus is on the number of staff (head count), the number of FTE and vacancies in each of ten staff categories employed in community pharmacy.

The previous surveys demonstrated the value of obtaining a meaningful dataset, to inform future planning and system investment decisions in relation to the community pharmacy workforce across the NHS in England.

From 1 October 2022, new regulations laid out by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) required pharmacy contractors to complete an annual workforce survey.

This requirement recognises the priority the NHS places on the community pharmacy workforce, and the importance of collecting consistent, accurate data to support effective workforce planning.

The 2023 survey was the second annual repeat of the data collection.

View the regulations which have been laid in Parliament.

Read more about the terms of service changes on the community pharmacy England website.

Frequently asked questions 

Find out more about the community pharmacy workforce Survey in our frequently asked questions.

Find out more about previous surveys in the related documents below.