Publication of General Pharmaceutical Services for Northern Ireland, Annual Statistics 2024/25

Date published: 26 June 2025

This Accredited Official Statistics report contains information on prescription dispensing and payments in relation to community dispensing (i.e. dispensing by community pharmacies, dispensing doctors and appliance suppliers).

Information is provided at Northern Ireland level with further breakdowns at Local Government District (LGD) and Local Commissioning Group (LCG) level.

The publication is available on the BSO’s website: General Pharmaceutical Services and Prescribing Statistics - Business Services Organisation (BSO) Website (hscni.net)

Key Points:

• At the end of 2024/25, Northern Ireland had 508 community pharmacies, three fewer than last year.  
• The majority of people in Northern Ireland live, on average, less than one mile from a community pharmacy.  However, there is a distinct variation in urban and rural settings, with Belfast Local Government District residents living, on average, 0.3 miles from their nearest pharmacy, compared with 1.6 miles for those living in Fermanagh and Omagh. Over 99% of the population live within five miles of their nearest pharmacy.
• Community pharmacies were responsible for dispensing over 99% of prescription items in 2024/25, with the remainder dispensed by appliance contractors and dispensing doctors.
• On average, each community pharmacy dispensed over 89,000 items in 2024/25, an increase of over 2% on the previous year.
• The total number of items dispensed by all contractors increased by almost 1% to 45.7 million in 2024/25, compared with the previous year and is the highest level of dispensing recorded in Northern Ireland, 14% higher than in 2014/15. This equated to 2.2 million prescription forms per month, on average, being processed throughout the year, almost a 2% increase on last year.
• The total ingredient cost (before discount) of items dispensed over the year was £497.0 million. This was a decrease of 1% on the previous year. The annual total ingredient cost fluctuated between 2013/14 and 2018/19 but has since been on an upward trend. Despite decreasing in 2024/25, total ingredient cost is still 17% higher than a decade ago.
• In addition to the reimbursement pharmacy contractors received for products dispensed, £125.2 million of other payments were processed, relating to a variety of services and professional fees, as well as additional payments for services such as advice and treatment of everyday healthcare conditions, stop smoking service and vaccinations.
• Approximately one-quarter (25%) of all items dispensed in 2024/25 were categorised as treating conditions of the Central Nervous System. These items accounted for over one fifth (21%) of total ingredient cost.
• Around 46% of prescription items were dispensed to patients aged 65 or over, with over one-third (34%) dispensed to patients in the 45 to 64 age group.
• The number of items dispensed in the most deprived areas in Northern Ireland was around 48% higher than in the least deprived. Conversely, the average ingredient cost per item was 20% higher in the least deprived areas.
• Approximately one in four females (26%) in Northern Ireland received anti-depressant medication during 2024/25. The equivalent figure for males was 16%. The proportion of the population receiving anti-depressant medication in the most deprived areas was over one and a half times that observed in the least deprived.
• More than one third of the NI population (36%) received at least one prescription for an antibiotic during 2024/25. This proportion rose to over two-thirds (67%) for the population aged 85 and over.
• In 2023/24, the most recent year with data available across all UK countries, Northern Ireland had the highest ingredient cost per person at just over £262. This was 37% higher than England, where the equivalent cost was just over £191 in the same year.