‘They don’t come to work to be abused’: Pharmacies grapple with rising crime

Pharmacies are often celebrated for being a front door to the NHS but for many contractors, it’s a double-edged sword.

Pharmacy owner Kevin Simpson says repeated instances of theft, burglary and abuse in his seven pharmacies have left him in an impossible position: ‘My options as a pharmacy owner are to make my staff safer by reducing accessibility – for example, by closing the door and only letting one customer in at a time – [or to put my staff at more risk and maintain accessibility].’

My options are to make my staff safer by closing the door and only letting one customer in at a time.

His experience is not an isolated case. In August, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) found that around nine in 10 (88%) pharmacies across the UK had seen an increase in cases of shoplifting in the last year.

Another 87% had seen a rise in aggressive and intimidating behaviour towards pharmacy staff, and 22% had witnessed physical assault to staff. Of the 500 pharmacies surveyed, 73% also believed they received an inadequate response from the police.

‘Gone are the days of clapping for healthcare workers’

One of Mr Simpson’s pharmacies operates in a small town in Country Durham – one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. ‘There’s a lot of unemployment and a lot of deprivation where it is based, in the North East of England. It’s a small community pharmacy, and a lot of local people are dependent on it,’ he says.

While this makes the work rewarding, it also means that the pharmacy has become a target for both criminals and frustrated patients.

He describes a recent incident involving a man who had parked his mobility scooter in front of the pharmacy entrance. A member of staff followed the man into an adjacent business and asked him politely to move his scooter.

When he returned, instead of moving the scooter he entered the pharmacy and verbally abused the employees. He also attempted to approach staff behind the counter and although the confrontation remained non-violent, they did feel physically threatened.

‘Some of the staff were in tears over what he’d said, and it necessitated us having to close the pharmacy for an hour or so until the staff could gather themselves,’ Mr Simpson explains. ‘The pharmacist [on duty] was a newly qualified young lady. She said she wasn’t going to come into work the following day because she was frightened that this man, who lives locally, would come in again and she would be the target of further abuse.’

This kind of situation occurs several times a year within his high street pharmacies and the nature of the abuse is escalating.

‘There’s a level of frustration among patients – about treatment they are unable to receive or about health issues that are not being dealt with appropriately – and I think that can spill over into anger, lead to abusive comments and, in rare circumstances, attempted aggression,’ Mr Simpson adds.

Chair of Tees Valley Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC), Peter Horrocks, expresses similar concerns. ‘I have seen a worsening situation since we came out of the pandemic. When businesses opened back up again, there was clearly pressure on the whole healthcare system and people seemed to take out their frustrations on pharmacy teams.’

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When he was superintendent for a large group of pharmacies, between 2011 and 2024, it wasn’t uncommon for Mr Horrocks to hear reports of verbal abuse on a weekly a basis, with the occasional violent incident.

‘Gone are the days of clapping for healthcare works,’ he adds.

‘Desirable drugs have been targeted’

Shoplifting and break-ins are also a growing concern. Mr Horrocks says, ‘It used to be the case that someone was breaking in to raid the till for a couple of hundred quid – it was opportunistic. But I’ve certainly picked up an increase in the number of incidents where the drugs cabinet or desirable drugs have been targeted.

‘The worry is that if they got into the wrong hands, or if they were mixed, they could be very dangerous.’

Mr Simpson says that theft is a ‘regular occurrence’ in his pharmacies. Thieves will walk in with an empty bag and clear an entire shelf of stock. Sometimes, they will even come behind the counter and steal things within touching distance of an employee – ‘that’s very scary for a member of staff,’ he says.

I’ve certainly picked up an increase in the number of incidents where the drugs cabinet or desirable drugs have been targeted.

There has also been one break-in and two attempted break-ins at his Middlesborough pharmacy within the last three months.

The thieves usually steal money – which isn’t left easily accessible – and drugs that have a street value. Mr Simpson has tried to make these as ‘inaccessible as possible’ but when they’re needed for daily use, it can be difficult.

Tabarak Sadik, a superintendent pharmacist and community pharmacy owner in Barnet, said shoplifting had been a monthly occurrence for his pharmacy since the Covid pandemic.

While Covid masks were ‘great’ to prevent the virus spreading, they are now being used for ‘nefarious purposes’ he says.

‘My staff are obviously not trained to deal with this. The official policy is to ask the shoplifter to return the item and let them know they're being recorded but I've told my staff not to put themselves in harm's way by trying to physically stop the shoplifter,’ Mr Sadik adds.

He has 12 cameras in his pharmacy that are very visible to all customers, and a screen at the entrance showing them they're being recorded. Yet ‘it's done absolutely nothing in reducing crime unfortunately,’ he says.

‘Feeling safe at your workplace’ is essential for pharmacist wellbeing

Rising crime, theft and abuse is taking a mental toll on pharmacy staff. Mr Simpson says: ‘They don’t come to work to be verbally abused, threatened with physical abuse, or sworn at. They come to work to provide a service to vulnerable members of the community.

‘They might have more protection working behind an office door than in front of our customers. I would totally understand if one of those members of staff who was abused recently came to me and said they were leaving.’

Many of his staff still work behind Covid screens left over from the pandemic, because they feel more comfortable with a barrier between them and their patients.

They don’t come to work to be verbally abused, threatened with physical abuse, or sworn at.

Wellbeing development senior manager at the charity Pharmacist Support, Melissa Cochrane, says that the Pharmacists’ Defence Association is a good place to go for support with workplace conditions.

Pharmacist Support offers a peer support and counselling service, which could be a ‘lifeline’ to someone who is struggling, and the charity can also refer pharmacists to Citizens Advice for help with employment law.

‘Support is out there, but feeling safe at your workplace is one of the most important things for wellbeing so finding ways to increase safety at work is going to be key,’ she says.

‘There isn’t enough money in the business’ for break-in repairs

For small, independent pharmacies like Mr Simpson's, money is also a huge concern. The annual Community Pharmacy England (CPE) Pressures Survey found that only 6% of pharmacy owners in England felt that their business was profitable.

And almost half (45%) had been forced to dip into personal savings to keep their businesses afloat.

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This leaves little headroom for replenishing stolen stock, replacing damaged shutters or repairing broken tills.

‘The cost of the repairs [after a break-in] might seem small, but the environment of the national contract means that there isn’t enough money in the business to finance them. And if they fall below the insurers threshold for claims then it’s the pharmacy’s responsibility to make reparations,’ says Mr Simpson. Due to this, an attempted break in is sometimes more costly than an actual break in.

Operating on a tight budget also means there’s less money available for security operations such as installing CCTV, employing security guards, or providing staff with bodycams.

Mr Horrocks says: ‘There is a risk that sole trader independent pharmacies don’t have access to those sorts of resources, or the cash flow required to set these things up’.

This is why he asked the Cleveland Police chemist liaison officer, Detective Inspector Ashley Harvey, and a representative of the Accountable Officers department, Ken Dale, to attend Tees Valley LPC’s September meeting.

'We are grateful that Ashley and Ken came to our LPC meeting to speak with contractors and provide advice on security and controlled drug issues. We encourage all contractors to build links with their neighbourhood policing teams and ensure all incidents are reported,’ Mr Horrocks says.

However, Mr Simpson explains that his staff are reluctant to make a formal complaint because they all live locally and often, they know the offender.

‘There’s a tendency for this behaviour to become acceptable. I think that’s the issue – how do you make it unacceptable?’ he says.

Staying safe on pharmacy premises

Officer Harvey shares five things with The Pharmacist that pharmacies can do to increase their security:

• Assess the security of their premises, and have an up-to-date premises security risk assessment;
• Consider CCTV and alarms;
• Advise staff to lock unused rooms and be vigilant;
• Follow pre planned open and close routines;
• Ensure controlled drugs are locked away in a security rated cabinet. If a safe is used an exemption certificate will be required.

‘Try to avoid creating blind spots on the shop floor,’ he says. ‘Remove any obstructions and reposition merchandise which may prevent your staff having a clear view around the shop, entrance door, and if possible, outside your premises.’

He stresses the importance of staying safe when working late, or working alone, and advises pharmacists to stay in touch with colleagues or family members in these situations.

Roof lights and windows are vulnerable points. Openings can be reinforced with additional locks and audible alarm sensors, while glazing can be reinforced with a laminate film.

Also, pharmacy owners should test that locks, shutters, grilles, windows and doors are working properly and if not, they should be repaired or replaced by an approved contractor who uses police accredited products, advises Officer Harvey.

‘Keep controlled drugs out of sight of public counter areas, do not draw attention to additional quantities of drugs on the premises, undertake random stock checks – including methadone, methylphenidate, morphine and fentanyl – and use electronic stock ordering systems to minimise the volume of drugs held on the premises,’ he says.

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A National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) spokesperson adds, ‘Behind each offender is not just a list of offences, but damage to businesses and all too often trauma experienced by retail workers who suffer abuse at the hands of these criminals.

‘We are seeing much progress in police forces developing their response to retail crime, working closely with their partners to improve the safety of our communities. From prevention to dealing with offenders, we must keep working collaboratively to drive this offending out of our high streets.’

They also remind retail workers – including pharmacists – to report any crime to the police immediately by calling 999.

Yet Mr Sadik says: ‘Pre-Covid we used to report these incidents to the police but nowadays we don't really bother, very little is being done about it and I've had officers actively try to discourage me from reporting it.’

‘A coordinated response involving government, law enforcement, and healthcare leaders is essential’

Chairman of Numark, Harry McQuillan, says that security is a ‘growing concern’ and it undermines the safe, supportive environment that patients deserve when accessing healthcare. ‘We need to ensure teams are properly supported, whether through better security measures, closer working with local authorities and police, or providing staff with training to help them manage difficult situations,’ he says.

He calls for a coordinated response involving government, law enforcement, and healthcare leaders to protect the ‘vital’ services that pharmacists provide.