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The National Pharmacy Association has condemned the abuse of pharmacy staff and urged the police to do more to deter shoplifters after a survey of 500 pharmacies revealed that around 9 in 10 (88 per cent) had seen a surge in shoplifting in the past year, and that 87 per cent had seen an increase in aggressive behaviour towards pharmacy teams, with 22 per cent even seeing physical assaults on staff.

Of those pharmacies that reported these criminal incidents to the police, 73 per cent believed they received an insufficient response.

The NPA has highlighted that medicines may be being stolen for criminal gain, and that theft from pharmacies is potentially a more serious criminal offence than common shoplifting.

Ashley Cohen owns two pharmacies in East Leeds which, within a few months of each other, had attempted break ins through the back door over night when the pharmacies were closed.

“Both doors had security grills attached but the individuals tried to cut these out and then cut through the doors. It caused significant damage … In one of our pharmacies we had three occasions where we had individuals throw bricks through our main windows. Not only did this cause lots of damage and disruption but also made our staff feel unsettled.

“As a service we are never protected to the same level that other primary care or NHS organisations are protected.”

Some pharmacies have told the NPA that they have taken additional steps to protect their teams, such as the introduction of body worn cameras and the employment of security staff.

Pharmacies also report that hostile behaviour from a minority of patients can be caused by frustrations due to national shortages of some medicines. The NPA points out that pharmacies are not required to supply NHS medicines to people committing or threatening to commit a criminal offence or who is accompanied by someone doing so.

The NPA has called on the NHS to provide pharmacies with a similar level of support that is offered to other parts of primary care, such as GP practices.

Sanjeev Panesar, a pharmacy owner in Birmingham, has witnessed a noticeable rise in petty theft across his pharmacies in the past 12-18 months. “All of our premises are equipped with CCTV, and footage is regularly circulated within our pharmacy group to raise awareness among staff. We also collaborate with neighbouring businesses to share information and keep an eye out for repeat offenders,” he says.

“Staff can endure verbal abuse or physical intimidation, but facing such hostility is not only disheartening but has a lasting effect on job satisfaction, morale, and feelings of safety at work.

In the past, we’ve brought in security guards, which has significantly reduced and often put a stop to theft, but this comes at a considerable cost—especially in a sector already under immense financial strain due to over a decade of underfunding.”

Henry Gregg, NPA chief executive, said: “These are appalling findings. It is particularly concerning to hear of reports of physical assaults as well as threats towards pharmacy staff, which is unacceptable.

“Although pharmacies are taking their own steps to protect their staff and premises, the police should do much more to tackle crimes like shoplifting. Theft of medication from a pharmacy, such as strong pain relief or benzodiazepines, could have serious consequence for someone’s health.”