'No gaps' in pharmacy provision in Wokingham
That's despite it having one of the lowest numbers in the country
‘No gaps’ have been found in pharmacy provision across the Wokingham Borough despite it having one of the lowest numbers in the country.
A Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) found there are 20 community pharmacies in Wokingham as of March 2025, which is 10.8 per 100,000 people.
This is lower than the England average of 18.1 per 100,000 people.
Analysis by the National Pharmacy Association in September found Wokingham, Bracknell and West Berkshire to be some of the worst served areas in the country for pharmacies.
But Wokingham’s recent PNA said the measure doesn’t consider all aspects of provision like pharmacies being in areas with a higher population density, opening hours, the rurality of an area and pharmacies located on borders with neighbouring areas.
Three pharmacies closed in the borough in 2022, in Twyford, Wargrave and Winnersh.
But the PNA concludes all three of these closures have been followed by the opening of a pharmacy in the same area.
A survey with more than 1,300 residents, found 90 per cent of residents can walk to a pharmacy within 30 minutes and 100 per cent can reach one by car within 20 minutes.
Sixteen out of 20 pharmacies in the borough have a 40-hour contract while four hold a 72-hour contract.
Wokingham’s population is also predicted to grow by around 4,000 people by 2030, as 2,321 new homes are being built.
The assessment said the borough’s pharmacy network ‘is currently able to accommodate this growth’.