The survey, which gathered responses from almost 1,100 pharmacists and closed on 12 October 2025, provides a detailed snapshot of working life across the UK. While reflecting the position at that time, the findings remain relevant as pressures on pharmacy services continue.
Heavy workloads, staffing shortages, and limited opportunities for rest were common themes, with many pharmacists reporting that they regularly miss breaks or work beyond their contracted hours. Community pharmacists represented 68.5% of respondents but experienced the lowest levels of support across almost every measure.
Workplace culture also remains a concern.
- Only 1 in 3 feels encouraged to discuss their wellbeing at work.
- Only 1 in 4 say their workplace assesses how working arrangements affect wellbeing.
- Only 1 in 5 believe line managers are trained to support wellbeing.
- Only 1 in 10 sees any visible action after staff feedback is collected.
The findings also highlight challenges around career development. Fewer than one-third of pharmacists reported having access to meaningful opportunities for progression, and protected learning time was widely described as limited. Alongside ongoing workload pressures, this raises continuing concerns about retention and the long-term sustainability of the workforce.
Financial resilience emerged as another area of concern. While many pharmacists reported confidence in managing day-to-day finances, more than half of the respondents lack a 3-month emergency savings buffer. This lack of a financial buffer adds to wider pressures and contributes to overall stress levels.
Supporting Pharmacists’ Wellbeing and Mental Health
This PDA survey identifies a number of clear priorities for action, including improving workplace culture, addressing excessive workloads, strengthening wellbeing support, and ensuring access to meaningful career development.
In response, the PDA continues to take practical and proactive steps to support pharmacists, recognising the pressures faced across the profession. The PDA works to ensure that pharmacists have access to both immediate support and longer-term resources to help them manage the challenges of modern practice.
As part of this commitment, the PDA has a long-standing partnership with the profession’s independent charity, Pharmacist Support. It contributes £1 per member each year, amounting to more than £340,000 in donations to date. To mark Pharmacist Support’s 185th anniversary on 15 April 2026, the PDA further strengthened its support by doubling this contribution to £2 for every new or renewing member for a month.
Alongside direct financial support, the PDA works closely with Pharmacist Support to raise awareness of the confidential help available to pharmacists, trainees, and students, and to promote a culture where seeking support is encouraged.
The PDA also provides a wide range of free training and support exclusively for its members. This includes wellbeing workshops delivered in collaboration with Pharmacist Support, focused on helping pharmacists manage stress, build resilience, and maintain their wellbeing in demanding working environments. Further information is available at www.the-pda.org/events
The PDA continues to use the evidence from this survey to inform its representation of its 40,000+ members by working with employers, policymakers and regulators, advocating for meaningful improvements in workplace culture, stronger wellbeing support and safer, more sustainable working conditions for pharmacists – ensuring that the profession is properly supported both now and in the future.
Read key findings from the PDA survey
Get involved
Learn more
- PDA is doubling donations to Pharmacist Support until 15 May
- PDA and Pharmacist Support celebrate an important milestone
- PDA calls on all pharmacists to complete a Workplace Wellbeing & Culture Survey
- PDA Unveils Workforce Wellbeing Strategy
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and ask your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists and for the first three months of being newly qualified.
Read about our key member benefits here.