Most English cities have more GP practices than pharmacies within their urban core. Liverpool sits at 1.42:1, Leicester at 1.25:1, Birmingham at 1.08:1. The norm is a ratio above 1.0 — more GPs than pharmacies, each pharmacy serving multiple practices.
Oxford and Cambridge invert this pattern entirely. According to PharmSee's analysis of NHS Digital and NHSBSA data, both cities have significantly more pharmacies than GP practices within three miles of the centre, producing some of the lowest GP-to-pharmacy ratios in England.
The Numbers
| City | Postcode | GP practices | Pharmacies | Ratio | Total revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | OX1 1BX | 27 | 41 | 0.66:1 | £2,482,067 |
| Cambridge | CB2 1TN | 21 | 31 | 0.68:1 | £2,010,034 |
Data from PharmSee's analysis of the NHS Digital ODS register and NHSBSA dispensing data, 3-mile radius from city-centre postcode. Revenue reflects the most recent NHSBSA quarterly dataset.
For comparison, the English urban average GP-to-pharmacy ratio sits closer to 0.90–1.10:1, based on PharmSee's measurements across 11 cities. Oxford and Cambridge sit well below this range — meaning each pharmacy, on average, serves fewer GP practices than in a typical English city.
The Pharmacy Landscape
Oxford has 41 pharmacies within three miles of OX1. The chain landscape is diverse: five branches from a major national chain, six from a mid-size chain with a strong presence in the Thames Valley and South, four from another national chain, two from a former national chain showing £0 dispensing revenue (consistent with post-2023 closures), one health-and-beauty retailer, and 23 independent or smaller-chain pharmacies. Independents account for 56% of the pharmacy count.
Cambridge has 31 pharmacies. Four branches from the largest national chain, four from another national chain (three of which show £0 revenue), two health-and-beauty retailers, one supermarket, one from a mid-size chain, and 14 independents (45% of total). Cambridge also has one supermarket pharmacy and one mid-size chain branch — a notably compact footprint for a city of 145,000 residents.
Both cities carry residual registrations from a former national chain — two in Oxford (both £0 revenue) and four in Cambridge (three at £0). These ghost registrations inflate the raw pharmacy count and depress the ratio. Excluding them:
| City | Operating pharmacies (est.) | Adjusted ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Oxford | 39 | 0.69:1 |
| Cambridge | 28 | 0.75:1 |
Even after adjustment, both cities remain among the best-served in England for pharmacy access.
Why University Cities May Be Different
Several structural factors may explain the pharmacy surplus in Oxford and Cambridge:
Student populations inflate demand seasonally. Oxford's student population exceeds 40,000 during term time; Cambridge's exceeds 25,000. These populations generate prescription demand (contraception, mental health medications, asthma inhalers) and over-the-counter sales, but are not registered with local GP practices in the same way as permanent residents. The GP count reflects the permanent population; the pharmacy count reflects total footfall.
Tourism and visitor traffic. Both cities attract millions of visitors annually. Visitors purchase over-the-counter medicines, travel health products and personal care items from city-centre pharmacies — demand that supports pharmacy viability without generating NHS dispensing volume. This may explain why some city-centre pharmacies in Oxford and Cambridge have lower NHS dispensing revenue but remain commercially viable through retail sales.
Historic high-street density. Both cities have compact, walkable centres with high-street retail density that predates the modern pharmacy contract. Some pharmacy locations may reflect historical patterns rather than current demand optimisation.
Affluence and private healthcare. Both cities have above-average household incomes and access to private healthcare providers. Private prescriptions, not captured in NHSBSA dispensing data, may represent a larger share of total dispensing volume than in less affluent cities.
Revenue Per Pharmacy
| City | Total revenue | Per pharmacy (all) | Per pharmacy (operating) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | £2,482,067 | £60,538 | £63,643 |
| Cambridge | £2,010,034 | £64,840 | £71,787 |
These per-pharmacy revenue figures are below the English average, which PharmSee estimates at approximately £100,000–£130,000 for urban pharmacies. The lower figure is consistent with the surplus hypothesis: more pharmacies splitting the same NHS dispensing pie means less revenue per branch from NHS sources. The gap is likely offset by retail and private dispensing revenue, which NHSBSA data does not capture.
What This Means for Pharmacy Careers
For pharmacists and pharmacy staff considering roles in Oxford or Cambridge:
- Competition for dispensing volume may be higher than in cities with fewer pharmacies per GP practice. Each pharmacy serves fewer prescriptions from fewer GP practices.
- Clinical services may matter more. In a surplus market, pharmacies that capture Pharmacy First appointments, vaccination revenue and NMS fees may outperform those relying primarily on dispensing volume.
- Locum demand may be lower. A pharmacy surplus means employers have more options for covering shifts, potentially reducing locum rates relative to cities with tighter pharmacy-to-GP ratios.
Oxford and Cambridge pharmacies can be explored on PharmSee's pharmacy search. For location analysis and opportunity scoring, 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 the city-centre postcode. Revenue figures reflect NHSBSA dispensing data only and do not include retail, private dispensing or services revenue. Branches with £0 recorded revenue may still be operational; this can reflect data-reporting lag or operational transition.