GENERAL PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES FOR NORTHERN IRELAND, ANNUAL STATISTICS 2024/25
Published by the Health and Social Care Business Services Organisation (BSO), this comprehensive report offers an invaluable snapshot of the vital role our community pharmacies play in the health and well-being of the population.
T
he data for 2024/25 not only highlights record-breaking dispensing figures but also provides crucial insights into the
evolving landscape of pharmaceutical care, financial dynamics and demographic trends across the region.
A Year of Unprecedented Dispensing Activity The headline figure from this year’s report is truly remarkable: 45.7 million prescription items were dispensed across Northern Ireland in 2024/25. This represents a significant increase of 0.7% compared to the previous year and marks the highest level of dispensing ever recorded in the region. This upward trajectory is not a recent phenomenon; prescription volumes have surged by an impressive 14% over the past decade, underscoring the ever-growing demand for pharmaceutical services.
Community pharmacies, the bedrock of our healthcare system, continue to be the primary drivers of this activity, accounting for an overwhelming 99.2% of all dispensed items. On average, each community pharmacy dispensed over 89,000 items in 2024/25, a 2% increase year-on-year.
Average annual dispensing per pharmacy by LGD, 2024/25
Average annual dispensing per pharmacy by LGD, 2024/25 This translates to the BSO processing approximately 2.2 million prescription forms every month, a testament to the sheer volume of work managed by our dedicated pharmacy teams. These figures represent millions of patient interactions, countless health interventions and the commitment of pharmacists and their staff to meet the diverse healthcare needs of our communities.
Navigating the Financial Landscape From a financial perspective, the report reveals that the total ingredient cost (before discount) of items dispensed over the year stood at £497 million. This marks a slight decrease of 1% from 2023/24, a notable shift after a period of general upward trend since 2018/19.
Despite this recent dip, the total ingredient cost remains 17% higher than it was a decade ago, reflecting the broader inflationary pressures and the increasing complexity of prescribed medications.
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