93 per cent of pharmacies who reported criminal incidents to the police in the last year felt they had an insufficent response, a new survey by the National Pharmacy Association has found.
The NPA has called for a tougher response from the police and the NHS to reports of rising levels of crime, including regular shoplifting, break-ins attempting to steal prescription medicines, assaults of staff members or racist behaviour.
The NPA had warned that pharmacies carry stock that leaves them at higher risk, including valuable prescription medicines and some controlled drugs, and are not like normal shops on the high street.
Pharmacies are the front door to the NHS and highly accessible to patients, which in some instances can make it more vulnerable to being victims of crime.
98 per cent had seen instances of criminal behaviour increase since they started their careers in pharmacy.
A survey of around 400 pharmacies across the UK found that in the last year:
89 per cent experienced shoplifting whilst 11 per cent had seen burglaries attempting to access prescription medicines. 21 per cent had reported criminal damage.
35 per cent had seen staff members assaulted in the last year and 3 per cent have even seen sexual assaults on staff.
78 per cent had seen harassment of staff whilst a previous NPA survey found that 82 per cent had experienced racist abuse.
30 per cent of pharmacies chose not to report incidents to the police, citing concerns about response time.
A number of pharmacies have told the NPA that reports of shoplifting were not prioritised, with one pharmacy being told that someone would get in touch within two weeks of the report and others simply being offered a crime reference number for low value items.
Some pharmacies reported having to spend significant sums on new security staff, panic alarms as well as costly entry and exit schemes, preventing them from investing in new services for patients.
One pharmacy told the NPA that their ‘funding doesn’t allow me to invest in further security measures despite a spate of shoplifting and attempted burglaries’.
Pharmacies often operate later opening hours to help support their patients than other parts of the high street as well as other primary care colleagues, leaving staff members more vulnerable to aggressive or even violent behaviour.
Unlike other parts of primary care, pharmacies do not receive any funding to make improvements to their security, despite around 90 per cent of their income coming from the NHS.
The NPA has called on the NHS to provide security funding for pharmacies, in the same way they do for GPs.
As well as this, the NPA are calling for police to be given support to prioritise pharmacy related crimes, given the heightened vulnerability.
There has been increasing evidence of attempts to steal high value medicines, including GLP-1 pens. Three individuals were prosecuted earlier this year for the theft of £1 million of Mounjaro at a medicines wholesaler in St Albans.
Olivier Picard, Chair of the National Pharmacy Association said:
“This is a very worrying survey which shows a lack of support for pharmacies when they report what can be long running, costly and serious crimes to the police.
“Police work incredibly hard, often putting themselves in danger in the course of their duties but we are concerned that they do not have the resources to adequately tackle high street crimes such as these.
“Pharmacies are not like ordinary shops on the high street. Not only do they provide a vital health service to their patients but they also stock prescription medicines.
“Theft of medication from a pharmacy, such as strong pain relief or benzodiazepines, could have serious consequence for someone’s health.
“Reports of racist abuse, assaults and even sexual assaults of staff are absolutely disgusting and we must do more to tackle this and protect our workforce.
“This includes a stronger police response and pharmacies being offered the same support as other parts of the NHS to make security arrangements.”
Comments from survey
I only get a crime number, unfortunately they are not interested in low value persistent shoplifting.
I do not get a credible response or help against prolific thefts
Our staff constantly have to deal with abuse from members of the public- who often acknowledge that their frustration lies with other healthcare providers but as we are the most accessible profession we bear the brunt.
Police come long after the incident and nothing happens because they say the value of the goods stolen is not sufficient to investigate further. Same people commit the crime again and the police take no action.
Shoplifting is a major problem which is costing my business a lot. One branch I have had to employ a security guard costing me 60k a year. I need support from the NHS with this cost.
