This year’s survey saw a significant increase in participation, with over 6,500 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians responding—67% of whom were pharmacists. Many of the findings mirror those from 2023 and align closely with the concerns pharmacists regularly share with us.
The report highlights the profound impact of medicine shortages, with 56% of respondents stating that managing shortages has negatively affected their mental health and wellbeing. Almost half (49%) reported experiencing verbal abuse as a result, while 41% expressed concerns that shortages are putting patients at risk.
Beyond medicine shortages, inadequate staffing (70%), work-life balance challenges (49%), financial pressures (47%), lack of support from colleagues or senior staff (47%), and long working hours (34%) all continue to take a toll on wellbeing. Worryingly, 87% of respondents remain at high risk of burnout.
Supporting Pharmacists Through Workplace Pressures
While many of these systemic issues—such as staffing shortages and funding constraints—are beyond the control of individual pharmacy teams, there are areas where positive change can happen. One of the most striking findings from the survey is the lack of workplace support, with nearly half of respondents feeling unsupported by colleagues or senior staff.
At Pharmacist Support, we know that creating a positive workplace culture can have a major impact on reducing burnout. Feeling valued and supported at work can make all the difference, and we’re committed to providing the tools pharmacists need to navigate workplace pressures.
Recognising the impact of financial stress, which is increasingly affecting pharmacists, we are also expanding our services in 2025 to include a new Financial Wellbeing resource launching in May. This will provide practical guidance to help individuals manage financial pressures and build resilience.
Driving Change Together
Commenting on the findings, Pharmacist Support Chief Executive Danielle Hunt said:
“This year’s survey saw a significant rise in responses, including, for the first time, insights from pharmacy technicians. Despite this broader participation, the findings remain deeply concerning, with pharmacists—our core beneficiary group—continuing to face a high risk of burnout. Worryingly, both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians report similar levels of burnout, reinforcing the urgent need for action to improve workplace wellbeing.
“While some challenges—such as medicine shortages—are beyond our control, there are areas where we can make a real difference. Strong workplace support and a positive culture are key to protecting wellbeing, and we’re committed to equipping pharmacists with the tools they need to thrive. Loneliness and financial stress are emerging as growing concerns, and we’re responding by expanding our support in 2025, ensuring pharmacists have access to the help they need.”
RPS President Professor Claire Anderson said:
“Pharmacy teams want to do everything possible to provide the medicines their patients need, and it’s deeply distressing when they can’t. This sense of ‘moral injury’ – of knowing what patients need but being unable to deliver it due to circumstances beyond their control – is taking a heavy toll on their wellbeing.
“Medicine shortages are not just a supply chain issue; they are a human issue, with real impacts on pharmacy teams working tirelessly to support the patients who rely on them. Finding solutions are essential not only for the wellbeing of the workforce but for ensuring safe and effective patient care.
“The survey results demonstrate the human cost of coping with the relentless workplace pressures. We need collaborative efforts from Governments, employers and the NHS to tackle the pressures on frontline pharmacy teams and create more supportive work environments.”
APTUK President Nicola Stockmann said:
“The environments our teams are working in are fundamental in supporting ongoing professional development, learning and wellbeing. Furthermore, there must be a collaborative effort from stakeholders to support staff retention and morale, as this directly benefits both patient care and the teams providing pharmacy services. APTUK welcome the opportunity to include pharmacy technicians in the wellbeing survey for the first time, as a result of the wellbeing roundtable we attended in 2023. We look forward to continuing to support this workstream and collaboration in future annual surveys.
“Whilst there have been differences in responses between professions, it must be recognised that the results of the survey clearly demonstrate that the wellbeing of pharmacy teams overall, are and continue to be, under significant pressure.
“APTUK remain committed to collaborative action as the professional leadership body for pharmacy technicians, to support sustained improvement of the experiences of the whole pharmacy team.”
Chief Executive of the General Pharmaceutical Council, Duncan Rudkin said:
“We were pleased to be able to support this year’s Workforce Wellbeing Survey by sending it out to the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians on our register. The significant increase in the number of responses from pharmacists, and the inclusion of pharmacy technicians for the first time, has helped to paint a full picture of the wellbeing of both pharmacy professions, and the intense pressures they are often facing.
“We absolutely recognise the challenges that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are experiencing, and look forward to participating in the upcoming roundtable to discuss what we can all do to improve their workforce wellbeing. Our standards for pharmacy professionals and for registered pharmacies should help to support the mental health and wellbeing of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the workplace, and we will shortly be publishing an article that highlights this.”
In response to these findings, Pharmacist Support, RPS, and APTUK will convene a roundtable in mid-March to bring together key stakeholders, including the NHS, professional bodies, employers, trade unions, and regulators. The aim is to drive forward meaningful change and ensure that pharmacist wellbeing remains a top priority.
Read the full 2024 Workforce Wellbeing Survey Report
