The West Midlands' pharmacy story is usually told through Birmingham — England's second city, with a pharmacy market dominated by independents at 85% and a 1.08:1 GP-to-pharmacy ratio. Wolverhampton, 15 miles north-west, has been measured at 1.33:1 — one of the most stretched in the region.
Coventry, the West Midlands' second-largest city by population at approximately 345,000 residents, sits between these two benchmarks. PharmSee's analysis of NHS Digital and NHSBSA data reveals a market that shares Birmingham's independent-dominated character but with a tighter GP-to-pharmacy ratio and a significant ghost branch overhang.
The Numbers
| Metric | Coventry CV1 (3-mile radius) |
|---|---|
| GP practices | 99 |
| Pharmacies (registered) | 93 |
| GP-to-pharmacy ratio | 1.06:1 |
| Total pharmacy dispensing revenue | £8,095,394 |
| Average revenue per pharmacy | £87,047 |
Data from PharmSee's analysis of the NHS Digital contractor register and NHSBSA dispensing data, accessed April 2026.
The Independent Majority
Coventry's pharmacy market is overwhelmingly independent. Of 93 registered pharmacies within three miles of CV1:
| Ownership | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Independent / smaller chain | 67 | 72% |
| National chain (largest) | 11 | 12% |
| Former national chain (£0 revenue) | 8 | 9% |
| National chain (mid-size) | 3 | 3% |
| Health-and-beauty retailer | 2 | 2% |
| Supermarket (two brands) | 2 | 2% |
The 72% independent share places Coventry between Birmingham (85% independent) and Liverpool (66% independent) — firmly in the independent-majority camp that characterises many West Midlands cities.
The 11 branches from the largest national chain represent 12% of the pharmacy count — a lower share than in most English cities of comparable size. For comparison, the same chain typically holds 15–25% of the pharmacy count in northern English cities.
The Ghost Branch Overhang
Eight pharmacies in Coventry's CV1 3-mile radius carry a former national chain's contractor name and show £0 in dispensing revenue in the most recent NHSBSA quarterly dataset. All eight are consistent with the pattern observed nationally following the chain's 2023 exit from community pharmacy: branches that remain on the NHS Digital register but appear to have ceased dispensing.
This is not a trivial overhang. Eight ghost branches represent 8.6% of Coventry's registered pharmacy count and materially affect the GP-to-pharmacy ratio:
| Scenario | Pharmacies | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| All registered | 93 | 1.06:1 |
| Excluding £0 former chain branches | 85 | 1.16:1 |
At 1.16:1, Coventry's effective ratio moves closer to the pressure zone occupied by Leicester (1.25:1) and Brighton (1.29:1). The city is not yet in the same territory as Liverpool or Exeter (both 1.42:1), but the direction of travel — from 1.06:1 headline to 1.16:1 effective — is significant.
NHSBSA data is subject to reporting lag, and a £0 revenue figure does not definitively confirm permanent closure. However, eight branches from the same former chain, all at £0, is a pattern rather than an anomaly.
Revenue Distribution
Coventry's 93 pharmacies generated £8.1 million in combined NHS dispensing revenue in the most recent NHSBSA quarter. After removing the eight £0 branches, the 85 operating pharmacies average approximately £95,240 each — below the English urban average but consistent with a market where a large number of independents serve a widely distributed population.
The revenue concentration question is important: if the eight ghost branches are not replaced by new contractors, the surviving pharmacies absorb their former patients and prescription volume. This is already visible in other West Midlands cities where the same pattern has played out — surviving pharmacies report higher dispensing volumes than their pre-2023 baselines would predict.
How Coventry Compares to Its West Midlands Neighbours
| City | Ratio | Independent share | Ghost branches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham B1 | 1.08:1 | 85% | Significant (Lloyds) |
| Coventry CV1 | 1.06:1 | 72% | 8 (Lloyds) |
| Wolverhampton WV1 | 1.33:1 | Not measured | Present |
Coventry's ratio is the most comfortable of the three measured West Midlands cities — barely above parity. But the ghost branch adjustment brings it closer to Birmingham's effective figure, and the smaller pharmacy count (93 vs Birmingham's much larger catchment) means individual closures have a proportionally larger impact.
What This Means
Coventry's pharmacy landscape presents a mixed picture:
For pharmacy owners: The 1.06:1 headline ratio suggests a balanced market, but the 1.16:1 effective ratio after ghost branch adjustment indicates more demand pressure than the headline implies. Independents dominate, which means less chain competition but also less corporate infrastructure for service delivery.
For jobseekers: Coventry's market is independent-dominated. Pharmacists looking for permanent roles should expect more opportunities with independent employers than national chains. The major national chain has only 11 branches in the city — limiting the career options available through that single employer.
For planners: The eight ghost branches represent potential re-entry opportunities. If the contractor codes are released, new operators could fill gaps in coverage — particularly in areas where the former chain was the only nearby pharmacy.
Coventry's pharmacies can be explored on PharmSee's pharmacy search. For location analysis and opportunity scoring across the West Midlands, see the location tool.
Data based on PharmSee's analysis of NHS Digital ODS register and NHSBSA dispensing data, accessed April 2026. GP-to-pharmacy ratios use a 3-mile radius from CV1. Revenue figures reflect the most recent NHSBSA quarterly dataset. Branches with £0 recorded revenue may still be operational; this figure can reflect data-reporting lag, temporary closures, or operational transitions.