Community pharmacy is often framed as an expanding clinical player. But the 2026 Community Pharmacy Industry Insights Report points to something more fundamental driving its growth: access¹.

Australians visited pharmacies around 440 million times in 2024, or roughly 18 visits per person¹. With more than 6,000 locations nationwide and hundreds of communities relying on pharmacy as their only front-line health service, its reach is unmatched. Patients are not waiting for change, they are already choosing pharmacy because it’s there.

Access is becoming the pressure point

At the same time, pressure on primary care is becoming more visible. ABS data shows 26% of Australians waited longer than they felt acceptable for a GP appointment, and nearly half of urgent visits involved a wait of at least 24 hours². AIHW data also points to a decline in GP service use since the pandemic peak³.

GP care remains central to the system, but access is not always immediate. That gap is where pharmacy plays a big role.

Pharmacy is stepping in, quietly

Pharmacies are already delivering a growing mix of everyday care, from vaccinations to minor ailment support. The Guild and Westpac ‘2026 Community Pharmacy Industry Insights Report’ highlights more than 80,000 non-complex UTI consultations in 2025 alone¹, alongside continued growth in in-pharmacy services.

Policy is now reinforcing this shift, with programs like the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP)⁵ and the 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement⁴ formalising pharmacy’s role in accessible, community-based care.

Convenience is still physical

What stands out is how this growth is happening. In most industries, convenience has shifted online. In pharmacy, it remains local and in-person.

Only around 11.6% of pharmacy spend occurs online, and online transaction values declined over the past year¹. When care is needed quickly, patients still prioritise proximity and immediacy over digital alternatives.

The real shift

Pharmacy’s momentum is not just about expanded scope – it’s about being easy to access. As demand increases and access pressure builds elsewhere in the system, that advantage becomes more significant.