The Hidden Cost of GP Workload: Why Clinical Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Are Your Untapped Resource

• 11th November 2025

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Every month, GP practices across England deliver record numbers of appointments, yet the pressure inside those surgeries keeps rising. The headlines talk about productivity, but they miss something important. A large part of GP workload isn’t in consultations at all. It sits in prescription checks, test results, medication reviews, inbox management and supervision time.

For most practices, this invisible layer is what drains capacity and adds risk. It is also where practice workload management can make the biggest difference. When managed properly, clinical pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can safely take on much of this work, freeing up GP time, improving safety and allowing practices to focus on what matters most: patient care.

Key Takeaways

1. GP workload keeps rising even though appointment data suggests capacity gains.
2. Around 40% of GP time is medicines-related and can be managed by pharmacists.
3. The solution is not more roles, but better management and governance.
4. Well-integrated pharmacists improve QOF, IIF and safety metrics.
5. ARRS funding, used strategically, turns workforce pressure into lasting capacity.

Key Stats

• 32.5 million GP appointments were delivered in January 2024, up more than 5 million since 2019.
• 75% of GP trainees cite admin workload as a top concern.
• 15% increase in Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) in 2023/24.

(Sources: NHS Digital, NIHR, NHS England SMR guidance)

What’s driving GP workload pressure?

General practice is busier than ever. NHS Digital shows appointment numbers continuing to rise while GP headcount falls. But those figures only tell part of the story.

Behind every appointment are hours of unseen work: reviewing results, signing prescriptions, managing medication queries and supervising new roles. The NIHR refers to this as the delegation tax, the extra coordination time that builds up when tasks aren’t clearly delegated.

This challenge sits at the heart of workload in the nhs, where rising expectations and workforce shortages collide.

Appointment data is a poor reflection of true GP workload and workload in the NHS. When you count the time spent on medication queries, supervision and follow-ups, you see why practices feel permanently behind and why there should be an increased focus on better practice workload management .

says Adeem Azhar, Co-Founder and CEO of Core Prescribing Solutions.

How clinical pharmacists and pharmacy technicians reduce the admin burden

Clinical Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians can safely manage about two-fifth of a GP’s workload, particularly in medicines-related areas such as:

• Repeat prescribing and medication reviews
• Medicines reconciliation after discharge
• Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs)
• Deprescribing and safety monitoring
• Responding to patient medication queries

As outlined in NHS England’s SMR guidance, pharmacist-led reviews improve patient outcomes and safety, particularly for those on multiple medicines.

This approach is one of the most effective ways of reducing GP admin burden while maintaining continuity and safe prescribing.

When clinical pharmacists are integrated properly, with defined protocols and governance, the impact is immediate. Practices that use a managed model, such as our Clinical Pharmacist Provision service, report measurable time savings and improved patient outcomes. The benefits grow even further when pharmacy technicians are part of that structure. They handle repeat prescription requests, support medication audits, and maintain accurate records, allowing pharmacists to focus on higher-level clinical work. Together, they form a streamlined medicines team that reduces admin pressure and keeps patients safer.

Our Medicines Optimisation framework also helps practices track these benefits as part of wider practice workload management, linking activity to QOF, IIF and audit performance.

Why adding more roles hasn’t solved the problem

Since the launch of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), PCNs have expanded quickly. Yet workload often feels the same. Without structure and supervision protocols, new roles can add clinical workforce pressure instead of easing it.

The solution is structure, not headcount. A managed clinical pharmacy model ensures that ARRS-funded roles deliver measurable results by focusing on:

• Clear workflows for repeat prescribing and results management
• Case-finding rules for SMRs
• Shared inbox systems and escalation routes
• Continuous audit and transparent reporting

When these processes are in place, practices turn funding into genuine time savings. Our insights on using ARRS funding effectively show how this can be achieved even in practices that feel “fully staffed” but still under pressure from workload in the nhs.

Real-world example: cutting 18 hours of admin each week

One Northern PCN used a managed pharmacist service to take over medicines reconciliation, prescription authorisation and patient queries. Within six weeks, the practice cut 18 hours of GP administrative time per week, equivalent to around 40 extra appointments.

The freed-up capacity went straight into continuity and proactive patient care. At the same time, safety indicators improved and prescribing errors dropped.

What good integration looks like

To make clinical pharmacist and pharmacy technician integration work, practices need structure, not just funding. The most successful models follow four key steps:

1. Protocol-first planning – map repeat prescribing, SMR and reconciliation processes from start to finish.
2. Clear governance – define scope, escalation and accountability for clinical decisions.
3. Data and reporting – measure released GP time, interventions and safety improvements.
4. ICB visibility – share outcomes that support ongoing funding and workforce planning.

Workforce planning helps practices and PCNs build this structure so each role contributes to overall efficiency and reduces clinical workforce pressure across the system.

Questions to ask before expanding your team

Before adding new clinical pharmacy or pharmacy technician staff or expanding ARRS roles, practices should ask:

• Do we have clear prescribing and review protocols in place?
• How will we measure time released and outcomes achieved?
• Is our pharmacist working at the top of their licence?
• Can our ICB see measurable results from these roles?

These questions make expansion sustainable and focused on long-term improvement rather than short-term relief.

FAQs

In summary

GP workload isn’t just about appointment numbers. The hidden administrative and medicines-related work consumes most of the time and energy within practices. Managed clinical pharmacy teams can safely take on that work, improve safety and reduce pressure across the system.

This is one of the most practical routes to reducing GP admin burden and strengthening long-term practice workload management.

Learn how our Clinical Pharmacist Provision service helps practices release time, improve patient outcomes and make better use of ARRS funding.