Shocking survey reveals pharmacy staff facing ‘escalating abuse’ from patients
Pharmacy staff across the UK are enduring "escalating abuse" from patients, including racist attacks, verbal assaults and physical violence, a new survey has revealed.
The findings from Community Pharmacy England indicate that around one in five pharmacy owners report verbal abuse as a daily occurrence.
The organisation is now urging for enhanced protection for these frontline healthcare workers, alongside the implementation of a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of violence or threats.
A poll of 289 pharmacy owners, collectively representing over 3,000 pharmacies, found that more than half (55%) had experienced verbal abuse within the last six months. Of these, three-quarters faced such incidents weekly, with approximately one in five (21%) reporting daily occurrences.
Respondents detailed a range of discriminatory abuse directed at staff, including racist, religious, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, and xenophobic remarks. One particularly stark account described a patient refusing service from a pharmacist wearing a headscarf.
A poll of 289 pharmacy owners, collectively representing over 3,000 pharmacies, found that more than half (55%) had experienced verbal abuse within the last six months. Of these, three-quarters faced such incidents weekly, with approximately one in five (21%) reporting daily occurrences.
Respondents detailed a range of discriminatory abuse directed at staff, including racist, religious, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, and xenophobic remarks. One particularly stark account described a patient refusing service from a pharmacist wearing a headscarf.
While less frequent, physical assaults were reported by 6% of pharmacies over the same six-month period.
These incidents ranged from strangulation and pushing to punching, with some attacks even occurring after closing hours. Pharmacy owners recounted instances of knife attacks, chairs being thrown at staff, and pharmacists being strangled by patients who had come behind the counter.
Source: The Independent, 26 March 2026