Note: This article was first published in The Pharmacist.

By James Wood, Director of Member and LPC Support at Community Pharmacy England

I hope you managed to take a little time over the festive season to recharge. For many, that break will have been short-lived, if indeed it happened, and the reality of another challenging year is already being felt. As we step into 2026, you are probably concerned about  what will change in the next 12 months, and indeed how you and your team will cope with another year under pressure.

For some pharmacy owners, the biggest achievement of the last year was keeping their doors open. That was no small feat given the relentless pressures facing community pharmacy. Our 2025 Pharmacy Pressures Survey confirmed what you already know: the challenges are mounting, and the strain on pharmacy businesses is unsustainable. While the 2025/26 funding settlement offered some temporary hope of relief, it was at the time recognised as only a step towards sustainability, and we’re edging ever closer to a tipping point. Without urgent change, the future of many pharmacies is still very much at risk.

So where does that leave us? Frustrated, yes – but also determined. Many pharmacy owners want to help us and do something to make policymakers sit up and listen.  There are a number of ways to do that, and a simple way to start is to share your experiences and views with us. Every response to our surveys and polls feeds directly into Community Pharmacy England’s priorities and helps us build the evidence needed to push for meaningful improvements. Taking part in our polling is quick, shapes the Committee’s discussions, and could make a real difference in persuading policymakers of the urgent need for change.

Right now, we’re asking for your input on patient abuse and other critical challenges, including VAT repayments and financial pressures. Abuse and aggression from frustrated patients is piling onto already heavy workloads, and reports from LPCs show this is getting worse. More than half of respondents to last year’s Pressures Survey said patient abuse was a serious concern and local leaders warned of rising verbal and physical attacks on pharmacy staff at the Conference of LPC Representatives – asking us to collect more data on this. We’ve shared resources to help curb abuse and support your teams, but we need updated data to strengthen our case for change.

Completing the survey takes just ten minutes, and your views will shape discussions at the first Community Pharmacy England Committee meeting of 2026, including those on the 2026/27 CPCF negotiations. Please take part in our February 2026 Committee Opinion Poll before 11.59pm on Thursday 22nd January.

Of course, these pressures don’t just affect your business – they affect you and your teams as well. Uncertainty about the future, medicine shortages, financial strain, and patient abuse all take a toll on mental health and wellbeing – not just professionally, but personally. Pharmacy owners consistently tell us that morale is at breaking point. That’s why we’ve partnered with Pharmacist Support to offer workshops, webinars, and resources to help you look after yourself. We did this during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’ve committed to doing it again – because supporting your wellbeing is needed now more than ever, as the work for a sustainable future continues.

You and your team can sign up for our wellbeing webinar and look out for associated resources in the Community Pharmacy England newsletter.

Most importantly, you’re not alone in feeling the strain so, this year, let’s turn frustration into action that can make a real impact. Share your experiences in our surveys and polls, and let’s work together to get community pharmacy the support it deserves.

Take part in the latest sector opinion poll from Community Pharmacy England

The post From Pressure to Progress: Why Your Voice Matters in 2026 appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.