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6. Patient satisfaction
The CW&C pharmacy survey (November 2024) highlighted that residents value having a pharmacy nearby and view it as an essential provision. However, it also highlighted medicine unavailability, long waiting times for prescription collection, and long wait times in the pharmacies. There are also concerns about pharmacy closures, and comments about opening hours not being sufficient for those who work. This reflects the challenges that pharmacies are facing with increasing demand, medicine shortages, and financial pressures.
7. Demand on pharmacies
Annual dispensing data indicates that dispensing has increased in CW&C community pharmacies reflecting the England trend.
Table 3: Dispensing trend for Cheshire West and Chester and England
2019/20
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
Number of items dispensed by CW&C community pharmacies
4,933,440
5,158,696
5,630,763
6,206,759
7,057,502
Number of items dispensed by community pharmacies in England
1,015,432,313
999,727,834
1,023,594,176
1,057,981,117
1,090,082,977
Source: NHS Business Services Authority, Dispensing Pharmacy Northwest GP Items by financial year.
Note: This data includes distance selling pharmacy Speeds Healthcare which is located in Cheshire West and Chester. It does not provide face to face dispensing but has been included to match figures in table. Speeds dispensed 29,345 GP prescription items in 2023/24 and in previous years dispensed between 15,000-25,000 items.
Respondents to the Pharmacy Survey also frequently commented on how busy pharmacies have become with long waiting times for prescription items and overcrowding in the pharmacies. Pharmacy closures have added to this pressure in some areas of the borough.
Population estimates have demonstrated there is a greater proportion of older people in CW&C than in England. Because older people generally take more medicines than a younger population, community pharmacies will experience a greater workload in terms of dispensing and support for self-care. Furthermore, this workload is expected to increase as population forecasts suggest that the proportion of people aged 65 and over is expected to rise by 22% by 2033 to an estimated 96,000.
Despite these pressures on pharmacies, the majority of pharmacies told us that they have sufficient capacity to deal with an increase in demand at this present time.
6. Patient satisfaction
The CW&C pharmacy survey (November 2024) highlighted that residents value having a pharmacy nearby and view it as an essential provision. However, it also highlighted medicine unavailability, long waiting times for prescription collection, and long wait times in the pharmacies. There are also concerns about pharmacy closures, and comments about opening hours not being sufficient for those who work. This reflects the challenges that pharmacies are facing with increasing demand, medicine shortages, and financial pressures.
7. Demand on pharmacies
Annual dispensing data indicates that dispensing has increased in CW&C community pharmacies reflecting the England trend.
Table 3: Dispensing trend for Cheshire West and Chester and England
2019/20
2020/21
2021/22
2022/23
2023/24
Number of items dispensed by CW&C community pharmacies
4,933,440
5,158,696
5,630,763
6,206,759
7,057,502
Number of items dispensed by community pharmacies in England
1,015,432,313
999,727,834
1,023,594,176
1,057,981,117
1,090,082,977
Source: NHS Business Services Authority, Dispensing Pharmacy Northwest GP Items by financial year.
Note: This data includes distance selling pharmacy Speeds Healthcare which is located in Cheshire West and Chester. It does not provide face to face dispensing but has been included to match figures in table. Speeds dispensed 29,345 GP prescription items in 2023/24 and in previous years dispensed between 15,000-25,000 items.
Respondents to the Pharmacy Survey also frequently commented on how busy pharmacies have become with long waiting times for prescription items and overcrowding in the pharmacies. Pharmacy closures have added to this pressure in some areas of the borough.
Population estimates have demonstrated there is a greater proportion of older people in CW&C than in England. Because older people generally take more medicines than a younger population, community pharmacies will experience a greater workload in terms of dispensing and support for self-care. Furthermore, this workload is expected to increase as population forecasts suggest that the proportion of people aged 65 and over is expected to rise by 22% by 2033 to an estimated 96,000.
Despite these pressures on pharmacies, the majority of pharmacies told us that they have sufficient capacity to deal with an increase in demand at this present time.
