The number of trained dispensing assistants increased 15 per cent between 2017 and 2021, a survey by Health Education England (HEE) has found.

The community pharmacy workforce survey  shows that this rise – alongside an 18 per cent increase in the number of pharmacists – comes despite an overall 5 per cent reduction in headcount since 2017.

The survey offers the following findings about England’s community pharmacy workforce:

• 101,108 people, filling 74,493 full-time equivalent (FTE) posts.
• 27,406 pharmacists, filling 20,489 full-time equivalent posts – 28% of the FTE workforce
• 7,768 pharmacy technicians, filling 6,327 full-time equivalent posts – approximately 9% of the FTE workforce
• 1,166 accuracy checkers (other than pharmacy technicians), filling 1,002 full-time equivalent posts – approximately 1% of the FTE workforce
• 31,665 trained dispensing assistants, filling 23,010 full-time equivalent posts – approximately 31% of the FTE workforce
  • 7,414 trainee dispensing assistants, filling 5,495 full-time equivalent posts – approximately 7% of the FTE workforce