Sunderland has one of the highest pharmacy densities of any English city measured by PharmSee. According to NHS England dispensing contractor data and NHS Digital GP practice records, the area within three miles of SR1 3AA contains 55 registered pharmacies serving 43 GP practices — a GP-to-pharmacy ratio of 0.78:1.
That is the third-lowest ratio PharmSee has recorded across 13 English cities, behind only Oxford (0.66:1) and Cambridge (0.68:1) — two of the wealthiest cities in the country. Sunderland, by contrast, sits in the second most deprived decile nationally according to the 2025 Index of Multiple Deprivation. The coincidence of high pharmacy density and high deprivation is distinctive and worth understanding.
The Numbers
| Metric | Sunderland (3mi of SR1) |
|---|---|
| GP practices | 43 |
| Registered pharmacies | 55 |
| GP-to-pharmacy ratio | 0.78:1 |
| Total dispensing revenue | £6,323,672 |
| Branches with no dispensing activity | 15 |
| Active branches (with recorded dispensing) | 40 |
| Effective ratio (active only) | 1.08:1 |
| Revenue per active pharmacy | £158,092 |
| IMD deprivation decile | 2 (Very High Deprivation) |
Revenue and branch data from the most recent NHSBSA quarterly dispensing dataset. Branches showing zero dispensing revenue may reflect data-reporting lag, temporary closures, or operational changes.
The Register Gap Is the Largest Measured
Fifteen of Sunderland's 55 registered pharmacies — 27.3% — show no dispensing activity in the most recent NHSBSA quarter. This is the highest zero-revenue rate PharmSee has recorded across any English city, above Norwich (20%), Stoke (18.9%), Bath (18.5%), and the national urban average of approximately 15-20%.
The 15 zero-revenue branches include entries from multiple operators:
| Operator | Zero-Revenue Entries |
|---|---|
| Independent/other | 7 |
| Rowlands | 3 |
| Lloyds | 3 |
| Boots UK | 2 |
Unlike cities such as Stoke or Norwich, where the zero-revenue entries are concentrated among former Lloyds branches, Sunderland's gap is more broadly distributed. Three Rowlands branches, two Boots branches, and seven independently branded sites also show no recorded dispensing — a pattern that may reflect a combination of data-reporting lag, genuine closures, and the presence of specialist or non-dispensing contractors (such as appliance and homecare providers) on the NHS register.
Who Operates in Sunderland
Sunderland is a strongly independent market. Of the 55 registered contractors, 43 (78%) are independently operated — the highest independent share PharmSee has measured in any English city.
| Operator Type | Total Branches | Zero-Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | 43 | 7 |
| Boots UK | 3 | 2 |
| Rowlands | 3 | 3 |
| Lloyds (register entries) | 3 | 3 |
| Superdrug | 1 | 0 |
| Cohens | 1 | 0 |
| Asda | 1 | 0 |
The near-absence of major chain operators is striking. Boots UK has only three branches in the catchment, two of which show no dispensing activity. Rowlands appears three times, all with zero revenue. This leaves the active market almost entirely in independent hands.
Revenue: The Highest Per-Pharmacy Figure Measured
Despite the high pharmacy density, Sunderland's active pharmacies earn more per branch than any other city PharmSee has measured. At £158,092 per active pharmacy, Sunderland's per-branch dispensing income is 12% above Newcastle (£141,431), 22% above Exeter (£130,000), and more than double Bath (£71,800) or Oxford (£63,600).
The explanation likely lies in a combination of factors: a population with above-average prescription demand (consistent with higher deprivation), a concentration of dispensing volume among fewer active branches after the removal of zero-revenue entries, and a city where pharmacy access has not kept pace with the underlying health needs of the area.
For pharmacy owners, Sunderland's data suggests a market where remaining active branches carry substantial dispensing workloads.
Jobs and Hiring
Within 25 miles of Sunderland, PharmSee tracks 50 active pharmacy vacancies — a healthy figure for a mid-size city.
| Employer | Vacancies (25mi) |
|---|---|
| Boots UK | 29 |
| NHS Jobs | 14 |
| Cohens | 5 |
| Morrisons | 1 |
| Tesco | 1 |
The 25-mile radius from Sunderland overlaps significantly with Newcastle, so this figure includes some Tyneside vacancies. Boots UK dominates the community hiring (58% of vacancies), despite operating very few branches within the city itself — suggesting that the 25-mile listings are largely drawn from Boots' wider North East estate. Explore live vacancies on PharmSee's job search.
How Sunderland Compares
| City | Ratio | Effective Ratio | Rev/Active | Independent % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland | 0.78:1 | 1.08:1 | £158,092 | 78% |
| Newcastle | 0.79:1 | 1.06:1 | £141,431 | 68% |
| Norwich | 0.88:1 | 1.09:1 | £110,459 | 50% |
| Stoke | 0.89:1 | 1.10:1 | £111,559 | 72% |
| Bath | 1.22:1 | 1.50:1 | £71,766 | 74% |
Sunderland and Newcastle — separated by just 12 miles — have nearly identical GP-to-pharmacy ratios but different market structures. Sunderland has a higher independent share, fewer chain branches, and higher per-pharmacy revenue. Both share the North East's pattern of high pharmacy density coupled with high deprivation-driven prescription demand.
Methodology and Caveats
This analysis uses PharmSee's aggregation of NHS England dispensing contractor records, NHSBSA dispensing data, NHS Digital GP practice lists, and vacancy data from 11 pharmacy job sources. All pharmacy and GP figures describe the area within three miles of SR1 3AA. Job vacancies describe the area within 25 miles of the same postcode.
NHSBSA dispensing data has a known reporting lag of approximately one quarter. Branches showing zero dispensing revenue are not necessarily closed. The 15 zero-revenue entries may include specialist non-dispensing contractors (appliance providers, homecare companies) that appear on the NHS register but do not dispense prescriptions in the traditional sense. Revenue figures capture NHS prescription dispensing only.
Explore Sunderland pharmacies on PharmSee's pharmacy map and check regional salary data.
Data sources: NHSBSA dispensing data via PharmSee, NHS Digital GP practice list, Index of Multiple Deprivation 2025, PharmSee vacancy tracker (11 sources). Snapshot date: April 2026.