Hundreds of pharmacies have disappeared from England in just three years, triggering warnings of a growing healthcare crisis as communities are left with fewer places to collect vital medicines.
New research from last-mile delivery specialist Gophr has revealed that more than 500 pharmacies have closed since 2022, while demand on remaining pharmacists has surged with millions more prescriptions being processed every year.
The analysis found pharmacists dispensed an additional 83.5 million prescriptions annually, rising from 1.17 billion in 2022 to 1.26 billion in 2025 — piling further pressure on already stretched services.
The findings come as Gophr’s “Prescription for Pressure” campaign highlights the rise of so-called “pharmacy deserts” — areas where growing populations are increasingly dependent on a shrinking network of pharmacies.
The worst affected region is the South East, where residents face the highest average number of people per pharmacy at 6,138.
The region has also suffered 95 pharmacy closures since 2022 and seen more than 10.2 million additional prescriptions handled during the same period.
The South West and East of England follow closely behind, with populations also facing severe pressure on access to local pharmacy services.
The North East and Yorkshire have experienced one of the sharpest rises in demand, processing an extra 17 million prescriptions since 2022 despite losing 84 pharmacies.
London has also been hit, with 53 pharmacies closing while prescription demand climbed by almost 9.4 million.
The shrinking network has sparked fears that patients, particularly those who are elderly or vulnerable, could face longer journeys and growing delays to access essential medication.
As pressure mounts, more people are looking towards prescription delivery services to avoid queues and travel difficulties.
Research from YouGov found 40% of Britons would choose prescription delivery if available, with convenience cited by 79% of those interested and 33% saying difficulty reaching pharmacies was a key reason.
Yet the demand is far outstripping supply, with only 18% of pharmacists saying they have delivered prescriptions to patients.
The figures raise fresh questions over whether England’s pharmacy network can cope with rising demand as closures continue and prescription volumes climb.
With fewer pharmacies serving larger populations, warnings are growing that parts of the country risk becoming healthcare “dead zones” where getting essential medicines becomes increasingly difficult.
Graham Smith, Strategic Account Director at Gophr, said: “At Gophr, we’ve been monitoring the growing ‘pharmacy deserts’ across England since 2022, concerned by the numbers, with little sign of the trend slowing.
“Pharmacists are being asked to do more even as workload, financial constraints, and customer demand place them under significant pressure. Something has to change if pharmacies are going to remain accessible and sustainable in the long term.
“Last year, Gophr analysed the online pharmacy landscape and saw growing demand for distance-selling options, while we’re also seeing more appetite for the home delivery of prescriptions – meaning delivery support should become an increasingly important part of the wider pharmacy discussion.”
“While financial struggles may make implementing a third-party delivery service daunting, a pharmacy chain we’ve partnered with previously saved around £600k over two years. The minimal operating costs, less downtime and typically faster delivery gained from outsourcing can ease the pressure on pharmacists under already tremendous and growing strain”
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