Almost two-thirds (63%) of Welsh pharmacies’ financial positions have “worsened compared with the previous year”, Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) has revealed.
In CPW’s 2026 Pressures Survey, published on September 9, it noted an “overwhelming agreement” that the current funding model does not reflect the true cost of delivering services, with just 3% of respondents believing it does.
Read more: ‘Cannot go on’: Three-quarters of English pharmacies losing money
And almost half (49%) of respondents were “not confident” that their pharmacy will be financially viable in the next 12 months.
The survey, which received 154 responses from across all seven Health Boards in Wales, also found that almost three in 10 (29%) pharmacies had difficulty paying wholesaler bills, with 86% of those citing “medicine purchase costs above reimbursement” as having a big impact.
“Killing us”
One respondent told CPW that “supplying medicines at a loss is killing us”, and another said the “drug tariff is ruining us”.
Almost half (47%) of those surveyed said they have reduced staffing to “keep the business afloat”, while 38% have “reduced or stopped taking a salary”.
CPW said the data shows that “financial pressure is no longer theoretical”.
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The body said medicine supply issues “continue to have a significant impact on patients, pharmacy teams and service delivery across Wales”.
Some 98% of respondents also reported increased workload in the past year, while 97% noted “increased patient frustration” and 79% reported “patient aggression”.
Read more: Over 90% of Irish pharmacies saw operating costs rise over last year
CPW said many contractors reported regularly working unpaid hours outside of those contracted, with 29% reporting as many as 20+ hours of additional, unpaid work per week.
One contractor told CPW they were in “dire need of rescue”, another reported being “made to feel worthless” and one said that “pharmacy is broken”.
“Potential catastrophe”
CPW chief executive Russell Goodway said the findings “underline the significant pressures facing community pharmacies across Wales”.
He said that “without the introduction of an immediate recurrent stabilisation payment, there is a real risk that parts of the network will not remain viable, leaving the population facing a potential catastrophe”.
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It comes after Community Pharmacy England’s Pressures Survey in July found that three quarters of community pharmacies across England are losing money due to funding cuts and increased costs.
And it follows National Pharmacy Association analysis last month revealing that 48% of pharmacies are considering closing their doors due to increased business rate bills.
