English Pharma Services Data 1995-96

There were 9,787 community pharmacies operating in England in 1995-96, and they dispensed 432.7 million prescription items in the period, reports a statistical bulletin published last week by the Department of Health.

Half of all pharmacies in England dispensed over 3,179 prescription items per month, on average, throughout 1995-96, it notes. There was little change in the number of pharmacies in 1995-96 compared with 1994-95, and 36% of all pharmacies belonged to chains of five or more. However, there was considerable variation throughout England in the number of pharmacies per million population, with Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster in central London having the highest rate at 444, against the national average of 199.