3.2 Community pharmacies

*Correct as of June 2025

There are 45 community pharmacies in Bexley, which has decreased from 46 in the last PNA. The England average is 18.1 community pharmacies per 100,000 population, which has decreased from 2021, when the average number was 20.6. The Bexley average of 18.3 pharmacies per 100,000 is slightly higher than the national average. Section 1.2 noted the level of national community pharmacy closures due to funding challenges and workforce pressures. Table 38 shows the change in the numbers of pharmacies over recent years compared with regional and national averages.

Source: ONS 2020 and 2023 mid-year population estimates and NHS BSA for England for number of pharmacies.

Section 1.5.1.4.1 lists the Essential Services of the pharmacy contract. It is assumed that provision of all these services is available from all contractors. Further analysis of the pharmaceutical service provision and health needs for each locality is explored in Section 6.2.

Table 39 provides a breakdown, by locality, of the number of community pharmacies per 100,000 population. The number and rate of community pharmacies vary widely by locality.

3.2.1 Distance-Selling Pharmacies (DSPs)

Distance-Selling Pharmacies are described in Section 1.5.1.2. There are two DSPs in Bexley, one more than the previous PNA. Details can be found in Appendix A.

In May 2023 the Pharmaceutical Regulations 2013 were updated to allow 100-hour pharmacies to reduce their total weekly core opening hours to no less than 72 hours, subject to various requirements.

In the 2022 PNA, Bexley had one 100-hour pharmacy (2%), and now has the one 72-hour pharmacy in 2024. Nationally there has been a decline with the number of 100-hour community pharmacies in England open in 2022 being 9.4% and now for 72 hours or more per week being 7.7%.

The 72-hour pharmacy in Bexley is in Clocktower locality.

Community pharmacies in Bexley are particularly located around areas with a higher density of population, as seen in the map below.

Figure 12: Map to show population density across Bexley with pharmacies overlayed

Image

A previously published article³ suggests:

• 89% of the population in England has access to a community pharmacy within a 20-minute walk
• this falls to 14% in rural areas
• over 99% of those in areas of highest deprivation are within a 20-minute walk of a community pharmacy

The same study found that access is greater in areas of high deprivation. Higher levels of deprivation are linked with increased premature mortality rates and therefore greater health needs.

The following maps and table below show travel times to community pharmacies using a variety of options. A breakdown of travel within each locality is shown within Section 6.2.

Summary:

• 98% of the population are able to walk to a pharmacy within 20 minutes
• 100% of the population in Bexley can get to a pharmacy within 20 minutes when choosing to drive, whether this is off peak or at peak times
• 97% are able to travel via public transport to a pharmacy within 20 minutes

Figure 13: Map to show average walk times to community pharmacies in Bexley

Image

Figure 14: Map to show drive times by car to the nearest pharmacy in Bexley (off peak)

Image

Figure 15: Map to show drive times by car to the nearest pharmacy in Bexley (peak)

Image

Figure 16: Map to show public transport times to the nearest pharmacy in Bexley (off peak)

Image

Figure 17: Map to show public transport times to the nearest pharmacy in Bexley (peak)

Image

The number, location and opening hours of community pharmacy providers open beyond 6 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), vary within each locality; they are listed in the table below and seen in Figure 17. Full details of all pharmacies’ opening hours can be found in Appendix A. ‘Average’ access is difficult, given the variety of opening hours and locations. Access is therefore considered at locality level and can be found in Table 42, which shows that 53% of pharmacies are open beyond 6pm across Bexley.

Figure 18: Map to show pharmacy opening hours (weekday)

Image

The number, location and opening hours of community pharmacy providers open on Saturdays vary within each locality. Of the pharmacies in Bexley, 89% are open on Saturdays, the majority of which are open into the late afternoon. ‘Average’ access is difficult given the variety of opening hours and locations. Access is therefore considered at locality level. Full details of all pharmacies open on a Saturday can be found in Appendix A and in Figure 19 below.

The number, location and opening hours of community pharmacy providers open on Sundays vary within each locality. Fewer pharmacies (9%) are open on Sundays than any other day in Bexley, which typically mirrors availability of other healthcare providers open on a Sunday. Full details of all pharmacies open on a Sunday can be found in Appendix A and in Figure 19 below.

Figure 19: Pharmacy opening hours (weekend)

Image

Community pharmacy contractors do not have to open on days which are specifically mentioned in the regulations (namely Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday) or a day that has been specifically designated as a ‘bank holiday’, unless directed to open by NHSE.

Contractors also do not have to give formal notice of closures on these public and bank holidays but must ensure that their Directory of Services (DoS) and NHS website entries are accurate (this is now a terms of service requirement, with verification carried out quarterly).

As community pharmacies are not obliged to open on nominated bank holidays, many opt to close, however a number of pharmacies (often those in regional shopping centres, retail parks, supermarkets and major high streets) opt to open – often for limited hours.

The ICB has commissioned a Local Enhanced Service to provide coverage over Bank Holidays, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day, to ensure that there are pharmacies open on these days so patients can access medication if required across Bexley. This is coordinated by the local Dentistry, Optometry and Pharmacy Team across London. However, any pharmacy may apply to open or be directed to open depending on need. It may also not be the same pharmacies on each bank holiday.

Details of which pharmacies are open can be found on the NHSE website.

Section 1.5.1.4.2 lists all Advanced Services that may be provided under the pharmacy contract. As these services are discretionary, not all providers will provide them all of the time.

Data supplied from NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) dispensing data has been used in Table 43 to demonstrate how many community pharmacies per locality have provided the Advanced Services, based on pharmacies claiming payment for the service. Details of individual pharmacy providers can be seen in Appendix A.

Source: NHS BSA Dispensing data September 2024 to January 2025.

It should be noted that some services, such as AUR and SAC have lower dispensing through Community Pharmacies as DACs (a specialised supplier of medical appliances and devices) provide these services. It should also be noted that for some of these services, such as AUR, not signing up does not preclude providers from providing the service.

Newer advanced services are increasing in activity based on activity recorded in the 2022 PNA. The Hypertension case finding service previously had low uptake across all districts however data suggests better uptake for the majority of contractors in all localities.

The Smoking Cessation Service currently has low uptake locally as well as nationally. This service relies on a referral from secondary care. Therefore, numbers should be interpreted with care.

More details on local and national trends can be found in the Community Pharmacy England Dashboards⁴.

There are two National Enhanced Services and four Local Enhanced Services commissioned through community pharmacies in London.

The National Enhanced Services (NES) are the COVID-19 vaccination service and the RSV and Pertussis vaccination services.

• COVID-19 vaccination service: Actual provision numbers are not available at the time of writing, as this activity is seasonal and provision can change with each campaign. This service is also accessible to residents from other healthcare providers.
• The RSV vaccination and Pertussis vaccination service is currently under procurement and due to go live in autumn 2025.

The Local Enhanced Services (LES) are the bank holiday opening, MMR vaccination, Pneumococcal vaccination and London Flu vaccination.

• Bank holidays: As discussed in Section 3.2.3.5, there is a local enhanced service to ensure that there are pharmacies open on these days so patients can access medication if required. Providers typically changes each bank holiday, however provision is spread across the area and details can be found on the NHSE website: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy
• The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination service is currently commissioned to two pharmacies in Bexley:
  - Aspire Pharmacy, 23 High Street, Sidcup, DA14 6EQ
  - Belvedere Pharmacy, 11 Picardy Street, DA17 5QQ
• Details of pharmacies signed up for the Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPV) service were not available at the time of writing.
• The London Flu vaccination service will come into effect from 1 September 2025. In previous campaigns, one of the requirements for eligibility was for pharmacies to be providing the national Advanced Flu service first.

Any Locally Commissioned Services (LCS) commissioned by the ICB or the local authority are not considered here. They are outside the scope of the PNA but are considered in Section 4.

Dispensing Appliance Contractors (DACs) are described in Section 1.5.2. There are no DACs in Bexley. As part of the Essential Services of appliance contractors, a free delivery service is available to all patients. It is therefore likely that patients will obtain appliances delivered from DACs outside of Bexley. As of June 2024 there were a total of 111 DACs in England⁵.

Dispensing GP practices are described in Section 1.5.3. There are no dispensing GP practices in Bexley.

The Pharmacy Access Scheme is described in Section 1.5.1.5. There is one PhAS provider in Bexley, and details can be found in Appendix A.

Bexley is bordered by three other HWB areas: Bromley, and Greenwich in London, and Kent. Bexley has good transport links and, as a result, it is anticipated that many residents in Bexley will have reasonable access to pharmaceutical service providers in neighbouring HWB areas and beyond.

It is not practical to list here all those pharmacies outside Bexley area by which Bexley residents will access pharmaceutical services. A number of providers lie within close proximity to the borders of Bexley, and the area boundaries are shown in Figure 11 in section 3.1.

Total items dispensed for Bexley between March 2024 and February 2025 (financial period) was 3,426,406. Of these items, 54% were dispensed by pharmacies in Bexley, and 46% dispensed in pharmacies outside Bexley. Of the total, 5% were dispensed by DSPs.