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Community pharmacies in England dispensed a record 1.16 billion prescription items in the year to April - a four per cent increase on the previous year - despite the number of pharmacies falling to the lowest level in 10 years. 

The NHS Business Services Authority revealed in its latest annual report that despite the number of pharmacies submitting prescriptions to it for reimbursement falling to 11,098 in 2024-25, the upward trend in items has continued for a fourth year running.

On average, pharmacies dispensed 104,000 over the 12 months to April 1, 97 per cent of these coming through the electronic prescription service.

A total of £10.4bn was reimbursed to pharmacies, in addition to the £1.5bn paid out in single activity fees - increases of 2.14 and 3.9 per cent respectively.

Looking at services, the number of flu vaccinations provided by community pharmacies in 2024-25 was 4.07 million, up 7.8 per cent from 3.77 million the year before but still significantly less than in 2022-23 when pharmacies vaccinated over 5 million patients. The sector was paid £39m in vaccination fees.

Covid-19 vaccination fees, however, tumbled from £74.8m to £54m.

The cost of oral contraceptive products dispensed as part of the pharmacy contraception service was £2.75m, with increases observed in every month from May 2023, while pharmacies were paid £7.43m in contraception service fees.

The New Medicine Service saw a sizeable increase in the number of consultations, up from 4.04 million to 5.64 million, with the total NMS payout rising from £109m to £154m.

"A significant development in January 2024 was the introduction of NHS Pharmacy First," said the NHSBSA, adding that in 2024-25 1.9 million items were dispensed as part of the service.