Regular occurrences of abuse against community pharmacy teams are making their working life increasingly difficult, and at times dangerous, new research from Community Pharmacy England has demonstrated.
A recent survey of more than 3,000 pharmacy premises found that:
- More than half (55%) of pharmacies had experienced verbal abuse in the preceding six months, with three-quarters (75%) of those experiencing it at least weekly, and one-fifth (21%) reporting it as a daily occurrence.
- 6% of pharmacies reported physical assaults in the preceding six months, ranging from strangulation, pushing, punching, objects being thrown to attacks after closing time.
Sadly, some pharmacy teams report being punched, pushed, grabbed, spat at, threatened, and targeted with abuse, often triggered by prescription delays, medicine shortages, NHS interface failures, and service eligibility rules outside pharmacy control.
Discriminatory abuse, intimidation, and threats of violence were also widely reported. Pharmacy owners described racist, religious, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, and xenophobic abuse directed at staff. In many cases, verbal abuse escalated into intimidation, stalking, spitting, threats to kill staff or burn down premises, and serious physical violence. High risk situations often involve patients with urgent needs who have nowhere else to go.
Shoplifting and violence are also becoming more common. Staff describe being attacked when challenging theft, having shelves and counters smashed, doors kicked in, and items thrown at them as weapons, including medicine bottles, chairs, display units, and sharp objects.
It is of increasing concern that community pharmacies do not receive the same level of response that other parts of the NHS can expect when a serious incident is reported, particularly when staff are threatened with weapons or when immediate danger is present.
Today, the findings of this survey appeared in The Independent, Sky News, and Good Morning Britain. Full details are available in Briefing 005/26: What pharmacy owners told us in February 2026.
Community Pharmacy England has called for stronger protections for pharmacy staff; better coordination between NHS primary care and community pharmacies; and zero tolerance of verbal or physical abuse, threats, or violence of any kind in community pharmacies.
As well as securing national media coverage, this month we have written to the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer and the National Police Chiefs Council to highlight the problems and identify actions that could be taken to provide better support for pharmacy owners and staff. We will also ensure that Government and Parliamentarians are aware of these difficult findings.
If you face any type of abuse from patients, please don’t feel like you have to tolerate it. The following actions can be considered:
- Call the police: Please report instances to the police who can provide appropriate support and take action where appropriate.
- Refuse to dispense the prescription: The pharmacy regulations permit this if a pharmacy owner or their staff (or other people at the premises) are threatened with or subject to violence or other criminal behaviour.
- Contact your LPC: Speak to your LPC who may be able to assist in handling the situation locally (such as signposting to non-emergency contacts at the local police, support available from the local NHS and other local support).
To help prevent such behaviour in the first place, Community Pharmacy England has produced posters that highlight the importance of treating pharmacy team members with kindness and respect. We will also keep working to raise awareness of this issue and pushing for other measures to help pharmacy owners and their teams.
Security and personal safety resources
We are working with the LPCs to highlight the issues and seek the support of the 43 territorial police forces in England, providing a template letter for LPCs to engage their police and crime commissioner (PCC). PCCs are elected in areas of England to make sure that local police meet the needs of the community, including how your area is policed.
The General Pharmaceutical Council has also issued a statement on violent disorder and its impact on pharmacy services, which reminds employers of their duty of care to keep their staff safe at work and to consider steps to reduce the risk to their staff experiencing any abuse.
Pharmacist Support, the profession’s independent charity, has a range of support services facing challenges such as abuse in the workplace:
- Embracing a Workplace Wellbeing Culture course: Focussing on practical steps that that can strengthen wellbeing across a team and help foster a positive culture.
- Listening Friends: Delivered anonymously by trained volunteers who have worked within the profession and understand the pressures pharmacists face.
- Counselling: For pharmacists who are facing challenges affecting their mental health.
Mark Donaghy, Professional Development Manager at Kamsons Pharmacy, said:
“Community pharmacies provide vital healthcare services, and their staff deserve to work in an environment free from aggression or intimidation. In recent months, we have seen an increasing number of reports of pharmacists and pharmacy teams facing abuse linked to late or inappropriate referrals, heightened pressures on urgent care, and unrealistic expectations. These can create unsafe situations for both staff and other patients.
While the majority will treat pharmacy staff with respect, even isolated incidents of aggression can have a profound and lasting impact on the individuals involved, their colleagues, and the service provided to the local community. It is vital that those working within pharmacies are respected, protected, and supported. That’s why we’re backing Community Pharmacy England’s call for urgent, system‑wide action to ensure pharmacy teams receive the same level of protection as other NHS frontline workers. No pharmacy worker should ever face abuse or violence in the course of providing care.”
Dervis Gurol, independent pharmacy owner and CPE Committee Member, said:
“Pharmacy teams are on the frontline every day. We absorb the frustration caused by NHS delays, medication shortages, and system failures – but it’s our staff who face threats, attacks, harassment, and disrespect. This takes a real toll on my team, it deeply affects morale, retention, and their safety. In my pharmacy, we’ve invested in screens at counters, CCTV, and maintain good links to police community support officers, but not all pharmacies have access to these protections. Basic security or protection should be standardised and fully funded for all pharmacy premises. It is unacceptable that staff bear the brunt of people’s anger. The Government needs to take a strict stance on abuse of all healthcare staff including pharmacy teams. If attacking a police officer and other emergency workers is a serious offence, the same should apply to community pharmacy staff.”
Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, said:
“Pharmacy teams are the backbone of community healthcare. They should never face any kind of abuse, racism, discrimination, threats, or violence just for doing their jobs. These findings reflect escalating abuse in one of the NHS’s most accessible frontline services and they show an urgent need for stronger system-wide protections. Pharmacy staff deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. We will continue to raise awareness and push for measures to keep pharmacy teams safe. Pharmacies have to be included on priority lists for protection and support and must remain safe spaces for both patients and the teams who serve them.”
Danielle Hunt, Chief Executive of Pharmacist Support, said:
“Community Pharmacy England’s findings along with our own data highlight a deeply concerning trend across the profession related to verbal abuse and violence in pharmacy. As a charity, we support individuals and advocate for positive working environments. It is essential that pharmacy teams feel confident to speak up about abuse and are empowered to adopt a zero tolerance approach when their safety or wellbeing is threatened.
We believe we all have a duty of care to our profession and it’s important that pharmacy teams have safe places to talk openly about issues such as workplace abuse, whether that’s through their employer or a charity such as Pharmacist Support.”
The post Racist, hostile, verbal and physical abuse of pharmacy teams now a regular occurrence appeared first on Community Pharmacy England.