The number of pharmacy technicians employed through the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS) has risen by 8% in the last year, according to new statistics.
The latest NHS England primary care network (PCN) workforce figures show that the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) pharmacy technicians employed by PCNs reached a new peak of 2,165 in February.
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This is up from 1,999 in February 2025 and the nineteenth month in a row that pharmacy technician numbers have increased.
The number of FTE pharmacists hired by PCNs has also continued to increase, climbing 4% from 5,491 in February 2025 to 5,732 in February 2026 – the ninth consecutive monthly rise.
Separate NHS England figures show that there were 1,985 FTE pharmacists employed by general practices in England in February 2026. This is up 9% from 1,822 in February 2025 and the highest level in data going back to September 2015.
The PCN workforce data, published on Thursday 26 March, also shows the number of salaried full-time equivalent (FTE) GPs working in PCNs has continued to climb to 1,079 in February, up 45 from the previous month.
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When GPs were added to the ARRS in October 2024, there were 85 FTE GPs employed by PCNs.
Meanwhile, the number of physician associates (PA) in PCNs has fallen 16% from a peak of 1,184 in June 2024 to 997 in February.
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This is the nineteenth consecutive month-on-month fall and takes PA numbers in PCNs to their lowest level since May 2023 when there were 988.
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