An updated interactive map from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) sets out, in one place, how the life sciences sector contributes to jobs, research, manufacturing and NHS collaboration across all four UK nations.
The Pharmaceutical Impact Map brings together local and national data to illustrate the breadth of activity by pharmaceutical companies, from investment in research and development (R&D) and manufacturing capacity to joint working with the health service. According to the ABPI, the resource is designed to show that this contribution reaches well beyond established clusters, highlighting activity in communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
UK-wide footprint in numbers
The ABPI reports that, across the UK, the industry is associated with:
- 125,702 people working in pharmaceutical manufacturing or research
- An average £20.4bn gross value-added contribution to the economy
- 3,658 NHS–industry collaborations
- 186 manufacturing sites
- 646 research and development sites
These figures underline the sector’s scale and its links with the NHS, positioning the industry as both a scientific and economic actor. The ABPI says the map enables users to drill down by local area, region or nation to see specific examples of partnership with the health service, as well as employment and site locations.
Nation-by-nation view
The resource also breaks down the data by nation, indicating where jobs and sites are concentrated and where research activity takes place.
| Nation | Jobs supported | Research sites | Manufacturing sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 110,774 | 552 | 155 |
| Scotland | 5,900 | 63 | 13 |
| Wales | 4,778 | 22 | 14 |
| Northern Ireland | 4,250 | 9 | 4 |
By setting national figures alongside localised information, the map seeks to show how research networks, clinical collaborations and production sites are distributed, and how these activities contribute to local economies as well as national output.
Partnerships with the NHS
Central to the ABPI’s presentation is the role of NHS–industry collaborations, of which the resource counts 3,658 across the UK. While the map does not prescribe how those partnerships should operate, highlighting the volume of joint projects signals ongoing engagement between companies and NHS organisations covering areas such as clinical research, service improvement and access to medicines. The association positions these collaborations as part of improving patient outcomes and strengthening the health system.
“Our industry is making a difference in every part of the UK, it supports high-value jobs, invests in research, partners with the NHS and helps patients access the medicines and vaccines they”
Context and implications
The ABPI’s updated tool arrives amid sustained attention on the UK’s life sciences sector as a driver of economic growth, research excellence and innovation in care. By aggregating data on employment, site footprint and collaborations, the map may serve stakeholders in government, the NHS and industry seeking to understand where activity is concentrated and where there may be opportunities to expand research participation or manufacturing capacity.
For patients and clinicians, the emphasis on collaboration indicates a continued focus on integrating research with routine care and on partnerships intended to support access to treatments. For local leaders and policymakers, the distribution of R&D sites, manufacturing facilities and the scale of workforce involvement could inform decisions on training pipelines, infrastructure and regional development strategies.
As an interactive, regularly updated resource, the map’s value will depend on the breadth and timeliness of the underlying data. But by consolidating headline indicators — jobs, economic contribution and collaborative activity — it provides a single reference point to gauge the sector’s presence across the UK’s nations and regions.
