Most pharmacists think high workload and lack of NHS services are major obstacles for community pharmacist IPs.
By 2030–2031, nearly 100% of community pharmacies could have a pharmacist prescriber -almost a decade ahead of initial forecasts.
However, workforce growth alone won't transform patient care if prescribers can't actually use their qualifications. Without sustainable NHS commissioning, GP record access, and protected clinical time, valuable skills risk going underutilised.
We asked our LinkedIn audience what the biggest obstacle for community pharmacist IPs is.
The results revealed that:
- 45% said high workload and time are the obstacles.
- 41% said lack of NHS services.
- 14% said securing a DPP.
The findings underscore a growing consensus across the profession: expanding training pipelines is only half the battle.
To fully unlock the potential of pharmacist prescribers, national health bodies must establish funded clinical pathways and provide the infrastructure necessary for safe, routine prescribing in the community.
Recently, a poll also revealed that the vast majority of pharmacy professionals associate the declining workforce with workload and burnout.
