New pharmacist numbers fall 27% as demand set to surge

Pádraig O’Sullivan said the number of newly registered pharmacists is not going to meet demand.

The number of new pharmacist registrations is decreasing year on year — and has fallen by 27% in the last five years.

This is despite a Department of Health workforce planning report suggesting that the demand for pharmacists will increase by 28% between 2023 and 2040.