Key facts: Southampton
- NHS pharmacies in Hampshire and Isle of Wight (2024/25)
- 296
- Opened / closed in the year
- 12 / 14
- Run by independents
- 42.2% (England 49.9%)
- Items dispensed per pharmacy
- 106,567 (England 104,192)
- NMS consultations per pharmacy
- 553 (England 508)
- NHS commissioner
- NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB
Source: NHS Business Services Authority, General Pharmaceutical Services 2024/25, Hampshire and Isle of Wight figures. 37 ICBs outside London are ranked.
Community pharmacy in Hampshire and Isle of Wight
296 community pharmacies dispensed NHS prescriptions across NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB, the ICB that covers Southampton, in 2024/25. 125 were run by independent contractors with five or fewer pharmacies and 171 by multiples: 42.2% independent against 49.9% nationally, 26th highest of 37 ICBs outside London. The ICB also covers Portsmouth.
With multiples holding more of the market than nationally, an independent pharmacy that comes up for sale here can draw competing buyers. Having finance lined up before you offer helps.
Pharmacy openings and closures, Hampshire and Isle of Wight
12 pharmacies opened and 14 closed during 2024/25, a net loss of 2. Closures were 4.7% of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight total (England 6.4%), 30th highest of 37.
When a pharmacy closes, its prescriptions move to those that remain. That can lift volumes at a well-placed pharmacy, but lenders want to see the uplift in dispensing figures, not only in a forecast.
Around Southampton, New Medicine Service activity per pharmacy was 453 in Bournemouth (Dorset), 465 in Guildford (Surrey Heartlands) and 493 in Reading (Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West), against 553 here.
Dispensing volumes and NHS services
Hampshire and Isle of Wight pharmacies dispensed 31,543,706 items in 2024/25, 106,567 per pharmacy against 104,192 for England (13th busiest of 37 ICBs). 97.9% of items went through the Electronic Prescription Service. With volumes near the England norm, the individual pharmacy's direction of travel matters more than the area figure.
On services, pharmacies here gave 148,918 NHS flu jabs (584 per participating pharmacy, England 437) and 163,611 New Medicine Service consultations, while 90.5% offered hypertension case-finding against 86.4% nationally. A strong services record gives a lender more than one income stream to rely on.
Financing a Southampton pharmacy purchase
Pharmacy prices are mostly goodwill, so lenders read several years of dispensing, NHS income and services against figures like these, alongside the lease and your contribution. Stock has to be funded at completion and NHS reimbursement arrives in arrears, so plan working capital with the loan. See our guide to buying a pharmacy. The practice purchase loan calculator shows repayments against profit.
Premises, regulation and security
Buying a pharmacy freehold in England brings Stamp Duty Land Tax at non-residential rates, and a lender secures the loan with a legal charge registered at HM Land Registry. If the building is rented, lenders read the lease closely: a short unexpired term caps the loan term.
The incoming owner applies for the NHS change of ownership and registers the premises with the General Pharmaceutical Council; lenders expect both in hand before completion.
Lenders for Southampton pharmacies
There is no Southampton lender panel. Lenders that understand pharmacies work across the country, so we search the whole market for each case. Fees depend on the lender and nothing is charged upfront.
Common questions
Are Southampton pharmacies opening or closing?
In 2024/25, 12 opened and 14 closed across Hampshire and Isle of Wight, leaving 296 on NHS Business Services Authority figures.
How busy are pharmacies in Hampshire and Isle of Wight?
They averaged 106,567 items each in 2024/25, against 104,192 across England.
Do you lend to Southampton pharmacists?
No, we are a broker. We search the whole market for lenders that fund pharmacies and put your case to them. Fees depend on the lender, with nothing to pay upfront.
