AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES IN RURAL SCOTLAND
CHEMISTS
Chemists provide a range of goods including 'over-the-counter' medicines as well as toiletries and cosmetics. Access to prescription medicines by chemists is particularly important. Some GPs provide prescription services (which we have not been able to measure here). Local access is important particularly for some groups such as older people and people on regular prescription medication.
Percentage of Households by drivetime to a chemist
| 0-5mins | 5-15mins | 15-30mins | over 30 mins |
Large urban areas | 99.62% | 0.38% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Other urban areas | 97.43% | 2.57% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
URBAN SCOTLAND | 98.72% | 1.28% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Accessible small towns | 97.15% | 2.85% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Remote small towns | 98.72% | 1.28% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Very remote small towns | 96.56% | 3.44% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SMALL TOWNS | 97.29% | 2.71% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Accessible rural | 47.01% | 48.50% | 4.49% | 0.00% |
Remote rural | 32.37% | 42.66% | 18.72% | 6.25% |
Very remote rural | 20.41% | 19.49% | 22.62% | 37.48% |
RURAL SCOTLAND | 39.90% | 42.40% | 10.02% | 7.68% |
Scotland | 88.18% | 8.70% | 1.77% | 1.35% |
- Chemists are concentrated in small towns rather than rural areas: two-fifths (40%) of households in rural Scotland live within a 5 minute drive of a chemist, and a further 42% must travel up to 15 minutes to reach a chemist.
- Almost one-fifth of households in remote rural areas have to travel between 15 and 30 minutes to get to a chemist.
- Over one-third (37%) of households in very remote areas have to travel for over 30 minutes to reach a chemist.