Pharmacy professionals are increasingly encountering ‘heightening abuse’ from customers, with a sharp rise in incidents involving racist insults, death threats, and even physical assaults.

In a recent study involving over 3,000 pharmacies, over 50% reported experiencing verbal abuse in the past six months. Alarmingly, 75% face such hostility at least weekly, while 20% endure it on a daily basis.

Staff members have recounted being punched, spat upon, strangled, and even threatened with weapons. These incidents have raised significant concerns about safety in the industry, leaving many employees ‘fearful and uneasy’ about going back to work.

Abuse based on race, religion, misogyny, and homophobia is also widespread. One pharmacist recalled a customer refusing service from her because she wore a headscarf.

Community Pharmacy England, which carried out the survey, noted that these confrontations are frequently sparked by issues such as prescription delays, medication shortages, NHS system failures, and service eligibility criteria beyond the pharmacy’s control.

Dervis Gurol, a pharmacy owner from Saltdean, shared that a patient once menaced him with a screwdriver due to not receiving the desired medication.

Elsewhere, Ashley Cohen, who runs a pharmacy group based in Yorkshire, said someone launched a brick through the window of one of his stores, narrowly missing some of his staff.

Just a week later, after the shop was repaired, the vandal supposedly returned and threw another brick through the same window.

Shoplifting and violence are also becoming more common, as staff recalled having shelves and counters smashed, doors kicked in and medicine bottles, chairs and sharp objects thrown at them after confronting thieves.   

Pharmacy staff are facing ‘escalating abuse’ from patients amid a surge in reports of racist abuse, deaths threats and even physical violence. Pictured: A pharmacy patient smashing a medical cabinet with his foot in footage from 2023

Terrified staff and customers watch on as a man ransacks a pharmacy in April 2023

Ashley Cohen, who runs a pharmacy group based in Yorkshire, said someone launched a brick through the window of one of his stores, narrowly missing some of his staff

Speaking to Good Morning Britain on Thursday, Mr Cohen described the torrent of abuse that he and his staff have been subject to in recent months. 

‘I’ve got a small Pharmacy group up in Yorkshire. Let’s just say, over the last few months, I’ve had a brick phone through my window, which narrowly missed some of my staff. 

‘What was more, upsetting was a week after we’d have that repaired, they threw another brick through the window, so it feels like it’s targeted. It feels intimidating.

‘My staff, who was trying to vaccinate somebody through the covid and flu campaign, was spat on by somebody because they weren’t eligible as part of the NHS.

‘We’ve had out pharmacy ransacked, unwanted violence. In a past life, a long time ago, I’ve been punched in the face.’

Mr Gurol recalled an equally terrifying incident when a patient brandished a screwdriver after not getting the medication he wanted – despite it requiring a prescription he didn’t have. 

‘And also, recently in my pharmacy, we have had my staff being spat on because a patient couldn’t get what they wanted,” he told Sky News. 

‘The abuse towards community pharmacy teams is widespread and is actually escalating.’

Speaking to Good Morning Britain on Thursday, Mr Cohen described the torrent of abuse that he and his staff have been subject to in recent months

Mr Gurol continued: ‘Some pharmacies are experiencing incidents daily, and the feeling on the ground is the pharmacy staff are not receiving the same system and support as other NHS services when serious threats or violence occur.’

Mr Cohen agreed, claiming staff are not afforded the same protections as other NHS staff despite being on ‘the front door’ of the health service. 

‘If you’re an ambulance worker or if you are abused or attacked in a hospital environment that is a serious crime and individuals are rightly punished. 

‘I find in years gone by if you phoned the police because you felt either under attack or unsafe you would get an instant response. 

‘Now when we register these incidents the standard line is “here’s your crime efforts number few insurance”.

‘For things like unwarranted vandalism, bricks through the window, they don’t even come and visit that unless there’s a planned attack.’

Mr Cohen knows of other colleagues who have employed security guards on the door, put grills up on the counters to stop people coming through, and even wearing body cameras to record any incidents.

‘We’ve lost 2 000 pharmacies on the high street, mainly due to government funding, which is also why the public are frustrated, because of the pharmacy deserts they can’t access their medicines.

‘The underlying institutional aspect to our sector is causing anxiety and frustration. All I want to do is keep doing the best I possibly can.’

Mr Gurol added: ‘The Government needs to take a strict stance on abuse of all healthcare staff including pharmacy teams. 

‘If attacking a police officer and other emergency workers is a serious offence, the same should apply to community pharmacy staff.’

Community Pharmacy England is now calling for stronger protections for pharmacy staff amid the rise in abuse. 

It is also advocating for better coordination between NHS primary care and community pharmacies and a zero tolerance of verbal or physical abuse, threats, or violence of any kind in such shops.

The group has written to the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer and the National Police Chiefs Council to highlight the problems and identify actions that could be taken to provide better support for pharmacy owners and staff.