Sheffield is South Yorkshire's largest city and one of England's most pharmacy-dense urban centres. Within a 3-mile radius of the city centre, PharmSee's analysis of NHSBSA data identifies 100 registered pharmacies serving a catchment supported by 78 GP practices — a GP-to-pharmacy ratio of 0.78:1.
That ratio places Sheffield among the most generously supplied cities in England for pharmacy coverage. But as with other major cities, the headline number conceals significant structural complexity.
Key metrics
| Metric (3-mile radius, S1 2BJ) | Sheffield |
|---|---|
| GP practices | 78 |
| Registered pharmacies | 100 |
| GP-to-pharmacy ratio | 0.78:1 |
| Zero-revenue entries | 21 (21%) |
| Active pharmacies | 79 |
| Total dispensing revenue | £9,267,873 |
| Revenue per active pharmacy | £117,315 |
| Independent share | 69% |
Source: PharmSee analysis of NHSBSA dispensing data and NHS Digital pharmacy register, 3-mile radius from S1 2BJ. Zero-revenue entries may reflect data-reporting lag, temporary closures, or operational changes.
The Lloyds legacy dominates Sheffield's register
Sheffield's 21 zero-revenue entries are the joint highest count (with Sunderland's 22 in Newcastle) of any city PharmSee has measured. Eleven of these carry Lloyds contractor codes — the remnants of the chain's 2023 market exit. The remaining ten include six independent pharmacies, three Rowlands branches, and one national chain branch.
When the 21 zero-revenue entries are excluded, Sheffield's effective GP-to-pharmacy ratio shifts from 0.78:1 to 0.99:1 — a 27% increase that brings it close to the national urban average. This adjustment is one of the largest register-correction effects PharmSee has documented.
Chain and independent breakdown
| Operator | Branches | Zero-revenue | Active |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | 69 | 6 | 63 |
| Lloyds (legacy) | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| Boots UK | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| Rowlands | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Day Lewis | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Weldricks | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Tesco | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Asda | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Classification based on NHSBSA contractor name. Some classifications are judgement calls; see methodology.
Sheffield's independent sector accounts for 69% of registered branches and 80% of actively dispensing pharmacies — a strong independent market by national standards. The city's home-grown chain, Weldricks, is headquartered in Doncaster but operates two branches within the Sheffield 3-mile ring.
Revenue picture
At £117,315 per active pharmacy, Sheffield sits fifth in PharmSee's 13-city dispensing revenue ranking — above Manchester (£108,550), Norwich (£110,459), and Stoke (£111,559), but below Newcastle (£141,431) and Sunderland (£158,092).
The total dispensing revenue of £9.27 million across 79 active pharmacies reflects a city with significant prescribing demand. Sheffield's deprivation profile — with substantial areas in IMD deciles 3-5 — generates higher prescribing volumes than more affluent university cities like Oxford (£88,645) or Bath (£71,766).
Vacancy landscape
PharmSee tracks 52 pharmacy vacancies within 25 miles of Sheffield across 11 public job sources:
| Source | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| NHS Jobs | 18 |
| Weldricks | 13 |
| Boots UK | 7 |
| Well Pharmacy | 4 |
| Cohens Chemist | 4 |
| Rowlands | 4 |
| Asda | 1 |
| Superdrug | 1 |
The NHS Jobs lead (18 of 52, or 35%) reflects the influence of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust — both significant pharmacy employers. Weldricks' 13 vacancies underscore the regional chain's scale across South Yorkshire.
For current Sheffield-area vacancies, see PharmSee's job search.
Sheffield in regional context
Within Yorkshire and Humber, Sheffield offers a different pharmacy market from Leeds. Both are large cities with strong independent sectors, but Sheffield's higher zero-revenue count (21% vs Leeds's estimated 15-18%) and the concentration of Lloyds legacy codes give it a more inflated register. Its per-pharmacy dispensing revenue of £117,315 is competitive for the region.
Explore Sheffield's pharmacy market in detail using PharmSee's pharmacy search and location analysis.
Methodology
All figures are drawn from PharmSee's database of NHSBSA dispensing contractor records and NHS Digital pharmacy register data. Revenue figures represent NHS dispensing revenue only and do not include retail sales, private prescriptions, or enhanced service payments. The 3-mile radius is PharmSee's standard urban comparison metric. Chain classification is based on contractor name matching; borderline cases are classified as independent. Data snapshot: April 2026.
Data: NHSBSA dispensing contractor records, NHS Digital pharmacy register. Vacancy data from PharmSee's 11-source tracker.