One in three pharmacists in Great Britain are now independent prescribers, according to recent data from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).

Data shows that 21,804 pharmacists now have an independent prescribing (IP) annotation, representing 33% of all registered pharmacists.

As of 31 March 2025, the total number of pharmacists on the register was 65,776, up by 2.2% (1,383) from 64,393 at the same time last year.

An upward trend

Graham Stretch, president of the Primary Care Pharmacy Association (PCPA), said: 'The upward trend in pharmacists being annotated to prescribe is a welcome indication of the development of our profession.

'As we reach a "critical mass" of colleagues possessing these competencies, it will become increasingly possible for NHS services to be commissioned including prescribing – which can only benefit our patients with improved, timely access to medicines and pharmacists’ expertise.'

In Scotland, figures show that nearly half (48%) of pharmacists are prescribers, with 2,685 having prescriber annotation.

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Dr Stretch said this reflected an 'innovative investment' in services and workforce north of the border.

'With this progress, improved safety and increased capacity will be delivered. With the new cohort of foundation trainees qualifying in just 15 months we will see this progress accelerate with prescribing increasingly becoming a standard competence for pharmacists working in all settings,' he added.

In Wales, the number of pharmacists with an IP annotation was 44%, an increase of 7% from the previous year.

And in England the number stands at 32% of the workforce, up 5% from the previous year.

Community pharmacy 'lagging behind'

CCA chief executive Malcolm Harrison welcomed the news but noted that community pharmacy did not reflect the same increases, saying that there was a need for clear government action to increase the number of IPs in community pharmacy, alongside the broader workforce plans.

In 2023, a survey by Community Pharmacy England suggested only around 2,217 community pharmacists in England were IP qualified, or around 8% of the total community pharmacist workforce.

Mr Harrison said: 'We welcome the findings that a third of all pharmacists in Great Britain are now independent prescribers, however, this is driven by high numbers of prescribers in other sectors.

'Community pharmacy is unfortunately lagging behind. In 2023, only 8% of community pharmacists in England were independent prescribers, compared to 24% overall.'

He added that a lack of commissioned services in England meant few IPs were 'actively prescribing'.

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'This is part of the reason why the proportion of pharmacists with an IP qualification are much higher in Scotland and Wales than in England,' suggested Mr Harrison.

And he noted that the NHS needed to integrate independent prescribing into Pharmacy First and commission more services that community pharmacists can prescribe against.

From 2026, all new UK-educated pharmacists will join the register with a prescribing qualification.

Louise Baglole, director of professional services and development at the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), said: ‘The growth in independent prescribing is a hugely positive development and represents a transformation of the profession and an enormous opportunity to deliver clinical services and offer even more valuable care to the millions of people who rely on their pharmacy.

‘It has taken significant time and investment to get to this point and reach a critical mass.

‘The profession has stepped up. Now the NHS needs to invest in services that make use of the considerable clinical skills available.’

A GPhC spokesperson said: 'It is great to see that a third of pharmacists across Great Britain have now successfully completed an independent prescribing course, giving them even more opportunities to provide treatment and care to patients and the public.

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'We expect the proportion of pharmacists who are independent prescribers on our register will continue to increase significantly, particularly as all newly-qualified pharmacists joining the register from 2026 will be independent prescribers from the point of registration.'

'We are committed to working collaboratively across pharmacy so that pharmacists who do not yet have the prescribing annotation can access that opportunity.'

The Pharmacist understands that some pharmacists have raised concerns around whether those who will be prescribers on registration and current pharmacists who have done the stand-alone IP course will be assessed to same level, as well as whether pharmacist independent prescribers are being assessed to the same levels as independent prescribers in other professions.