Statistics - General Pharmaceutical Services in England

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 02 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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From the UK Department of Health (Government Body)

This bulletin presents information about community pharmacies and appliance contractors in contract with Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England and Health Authorities (HAs) in Wales to dispense National Health Service (NHS) prescriptions.

It covers the period from 1993-94 to 2002-2003. It provides information about openings and closures of such pharmacies, decisions on applications in connection with contracts and schemes for the disposal of unwanted medicines.

Findings

10,452 pharmacies were in contract with PCTs in England and Wales at 31 March 2003, compared with 10,463 at 31 March 2002, a decrease of 11.

The percentage of pharmacies in chains of more than 5 rose from 51% in 2001-2002 to 52% in 2002-2003.

In 2002-2003 50% of pharmacies closing were within 500 metres of another pharmacy but 52% of pharmacies opening were more than 1km from the nearest pharmacy.

46% of pharmacies received a payment for providing additional agreed hours of service and 28% received a payment for providing advice to residential and/or nursing homes in 2002-2003.

256 pharmacies received a payment under the Essential Small Pharmacies scheme in 2002-2003.

To download the whole bulletin in PDF format go to:
http://www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0401.pdf

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