Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

‘I am writing to request an update regarding the availability and scope of pharmacy-level dispensing data on the NHSBSA open data portal. As part of a research and operational planning project focused on NHS pharmaceutical services, I would like to clarify the following:

1. Is there any plan to publish named pharmacy-level dispensing data (e.g., by community pharmacy contractor) on the NHSBSA open data platform, in line with the granularity already available for GP practices?

2. If such data is currently unavailable due to confidentiality or policy constraints, is there: o A version that can be shared under data-sharing agreements, or o A mechanism to obtain aggregated dispensing data by contractor code, supplier name, or region.

3. Are there any planned updates or expansions to the current datasets that would include community pharmacy or appliance contractor-level insights?’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 16 June 2025.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Our response

Question 1

There are no plans to publish pharmacy level dispensing data on the NHSBSA Open Data Portal.

Question 2

We don’t know what particular data you are referring to. Requests for information can be made as a FOIA request.

Question 3

There are no planned updates or expansions to the current datasets that would include community pharmacy or appliance contractor level insights.

Advice and Assistance

Please note that your request is more a general query rather than a request for recorded information. Whatdotheyknow.com is for FOIA requests. If you have any further general queries please e-mail from your personal/work e-mail address so we can ensure you are getting the most appropriate assistance, outside the constraints of this web platform, responses to which are published on their website.

We have disclosed information on dispensing by pharmacy contractors, under FOIA. For example, see the below published on our Freedom of Information disclosure log:

https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foi-02831

Data Queries

Please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.

Reusing the data and copyright

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2025”. Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.