The 2023 Community Barometer is a survey commissioned by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), which lobbies on behalf of local shops.

 

ACS commissioned Yonder Consulting to run the poll in June surveying the opinions of 1,000 people across the UK, asking how they value 16 different services in their local area - defined as the area within 15 minutes’ walk from their home.

 

These included pharmacies, petrol stations, pubs, banks, charity shops, convenience stores, post offices, coffee shops, hairdressers and gyms or sports facilities, among others.

 

Read more: Two-thirds of contractors say it's ‘very difficult’ to fill pharmacist roles

 

According to the results of the survey, published yesterday (August 3), 62% of respondents believed pharmacies were the “most essential service” of the 16.

 

The post office was the second-most essential service, as identified by 61% of respondents, with convenience stores the third-most essential service (47%).

 

At the other end of the spectrum, vape shops and pawnbrokers were seen as the least essential local services, gaining the favour of just 1% of respondents each.

 

 

Positive impact

 

 

Pharmacies were also seen to have the second-most “positive impact” on respondents’ local areas, chosen by 39% of respondents just behind the local post office (44%).

 

Again, the services with the lowest positive impact were vape shops and pawnbrokers - chosen by 1% and 0% of respondents respectively.

 

Nearly 9 in 10 (86%) of respondents had a pharmacy within a 15-minute walk from their homes – with only convenience stores, pubs and takeaway restaurants ranking higher at 87% each, according to the poll.

 

Read more: 'Pharmacy wastelands’: Over 200 net closures in 2023 so far, DH admits

 

The survey also examined where people would like to see greater investment in their area, with more parks being the top priority.

 

ACS chief executive James Lowman said that the findings show that “a diverse range of local services” is essential for communities. He added that convenience stores are “increasingly acting as service hubs”, including acting as prescription drop-off points.

 

Read more: Mapped: Areas hardest hit by supermarket pharmacy closures

 

Responding to the survey on Twitter yesterday, Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMp) chief executive Dr Leyla Hannbeck said that it was “great to see” pharmacies named among the services with the most positive impact.

 

But she warned that many pharmacies are closing due to “lack of funding”.

 

It comes as a new NHS England (NHSE) community pharmacy workforce survey yesterday (August 3) revealed that nearly two-thirds (65%) of community pharmacist contractors in England have found it “very difficult” to fill pharmacist vacancies.

 

Read more: HSCC gives scathing review of DH progress on pharmacy pledges

And the government last month confirmed that there have been more than 200 net pharmacy closures so far this year but at the same time admitted that it has not assessed the impact.

Meanwhile, C+D mapped the areas worst affected by the hundreds of pharmacy closures that have taken place since the start of the year in June.