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Abuse in pharmacy

Working in pharmacy and supporting patients and communities can be incredibly rewarding. However, abuse towards pharmacy teams is a serious and growing concern.

Community Pharmacy England reported in 2026 that 55% of pharmacies had experienced verbal abuse in the previous six months, with 75% of those experiencing it at least weekly, and 21% experiencing it daily. Physical assaults were reported by 6% of pharmacies in the same period.

This page explains what abuse from patients can look like in pharmacy, how it can affect wellbeing, and where to find emotional and practical support. It also includes information for employers about creating safer working environments. If you’re experiencing abuse in the workplace from a colleague or employer, please see our page on bullying and harassment.

Contents

What is abuse in pharmacy?

Abuse is any behaviour that makes you feel threatened, unsafe, humiliated or distressed. In a pharmacy setting, this could include:

  • shouting, swearing or threatening language
  • racist, religious, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic or xenophobic abuse
  • personal insults, intimidation or harassment
  • threats of violence, violence including spitting or throwing objects, or threatened or actual damage to the pharmacy
  • stalking, repeated intimidation or attacks after closing time
  • abuse linked to prescription delays, medicine shortages, NHS system failures or service eligibility rules outside the pharmacy team’s control

The impact of abuse

Abuse at work can affect people in different ways. You may feel shaken immediately after an incident, or the impact may build over time. Common effects can include:

  • stress, anxiety or low mood
  • difficulty sleeping or feeling constantly alert
  • difficulty concentrating
  • feeling angry, upset, numb or overwhelmed
  • worry about returning to work or seeing the person again
  • exhaustion or loss of interest in activities
  • physical symptoms such as headaches, tiredness or a racing heart.

These reactions are understandable. Abuse is not just “part of the job”, and you do not have to manage the impact alone.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Some people who experience particularly traumatic abuse or violence may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms can start immediately or appear months or years later. In addition to some of the effects of abuse listed above, PTSD symptoms can include:

  • flashbacks, intrusive thoughts or nightmares
  • avoiding people, places or situations that remind you of what happened
  • feeling constantly alert, watchful for danger or easily startled
  • feeling disconnected or emotionally numb.

It can be difficult to know whether the symptoms you are experiencing following a traumatic event may be signs of PTSD. If the symptoms are particularly difficult or are still causing problems around four weeks after the incident, and you would like to explore this further, a first step can be to speak to your GP.

You can find further information on the NHS PTSD page.

What to do if you experience abuse

Workplaces will often have their own policies and guidance on dealing with abuse from patients. However, for pharmacists and their teams there are some key points to remember:

  • if you are in immediate danger, call 999
  • report the incident to your manager or employer as soon as you can
  • keep a record of what happened, including dates, times, witnesses and any evidence
  • if a crime has been committed, you can report it to the police or contact Victim Support (details below).

Support if you have experienced abuse at work

Talking about what happened can help you process difficult feelings, feel less alone and workout what support you need next.

Listening Friends

Our Listening Friends service offers confidential peer support from trained volunteer pharmacists. It may be helpful if you are feeling stressed, upset or under pressure and would value a listening ear from someone who understands pharmacy.

Find out more about our Listening Friends service  

Counselling

If you are struggling with your mental health and need someone to talk to, we offer a confidential counselling service for pharmacists and their families, former pharmacists, trainee pharmacists and pharmacy students. The counselling service is available via telephone, video call or face-to-face (within travelling distance of Altrincham).

Find out more about our counselling service 

Victim Support

Victim Support is a charitable organisation that provides  free, confidential support if you have been affected by crime, whether or not you have reported it to the police. They can offer emotional and practical support, help you understand your rights and options, and direct you to information about criminal injuries compensation if you have been injured by a violent crime.

Victim Support England and Wales

Website: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/
Support line: 08 08 16 89 111

Victim Support Scotland

Website: https://victimsupport.scot/
Support helpline: 0800 160 1985

Stand Against Racism & Inequality

Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI) supports people affected by hate crime, discrimination and inequality. They offer free, confidential casework support and work with individuals, communities and organisations to challenge racism and other forms of hate.

Website: https://saricharity.org.uk/
Phone: 0117 942 0060

If the abuse you experienced was linked to a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, you may also find our information on discrimination helpful.

Read our information on discrimination

Employment advice for employees

If you would like advice about whether your employer is doing enough to keep staff safe, or how they should support staff who have experienced abuse at work, you may wish to seek employment advice. You can see options in our Employment advice from external organisations page.

Support for employers

Employers have legal duties to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees. This includes assessing risks, taking steps to prevent or reduce harm, and responding appropriately when incidents happen.

Employers may find it useful to seek advice from:

Employers may also find these resources helpful:

Resources for your workplace

 

This page was reviewed and updated in November 2026