Shortage of Key Medications Sparks Concern Among UK Pharmacists: Medicines Supply issues are being caused by a combination of factors, with Brexit, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and broader economic instability all playing a part. These factors stress the medicines supply chain and contribute to global supply issues.
Shortage of Key Medications Sparks Concern Among UK Pharmacists
The number of serious shortage protocols issued to pharmacies has risen significantly in the last two years, analysis by the National Pharmacy Association has found. using data by the NHS Business Services A authority, which sheds light on the increasing problem of medicines shortages, the NPA received 34 and 11 SSPs were issued in 2022 and 2023, respectively, while five have so far been issued this year.
Check Payment Dates
Check New Payment Amount
Check Payment Increase News
Check New Eligibility Criteria
Some SSPs can stay in place for months. In one case, an SSP for fluoxetine 10 mg tablets lasted more than three years. As a result, the National Pharmacy Association has urged political parties to make solving medicine shortages a key part of their general election manifestos.
The Impact of Medicines shortages on Pharmacy teams
Medicines shortages can be distressing for all involved, including patients, the public and pharmacy teams. There are many reasons for the shortages, including complex global supply chain issues and span across the globe.
We recognise that pharmacy teams are spending large amounts of time tracking down medicines that their patients need, which can put additional pressure on the team and can be frustrating.
All medicine shortages have the potential to raise concerns for patients’ safety. In this article, we will be highlighting some of the experiences patients have had with medicine shortages and how to minimise the impact of medicine shortages.
Patients put at risk
A rising number of pharmacists say that medicine shortages are putting patients at risk. The Pharmaceutical Journal 2023 salary and job satisfaction survey, which ran from 17 April to 1 May 2023 revealed that 902 out of 1.578 UK pharmacists working in all sectors of the profession answered “Yes” when asked if medicines shortages have put patients at risk in the past six months. despite government efforts to try to mitigate problems.
What is causing Medicine Shortages
Analysis has drawn attention to the effects of winder geopolitical factors, including the conflict in Ukraine, the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, as the reason for medicine shortages. According to the NPA, shortages were caused by a variety of factors, including changes in global demand price and exchange rate fluctuations, as well as manufacturing problems.
If you are a patient or member of the public who wishes to query the availability of a medicine you have been prescribed, the first step is to speak to a member of your local pharmacy team directly.
Medicines supply issues continue to be a daily battle for community pharmacies, as described in our 2025 Medicines Supply report. A new report compiled by the RPS, medicines Shortages: solutions for empty shelves. explores the issue.
The Standards and Guidance
We know that pharmacy professionals have to use their professional judgment and make decisions in challenging situations, balancing a range of factors such as individuals’ patient needs and available supplies of medicines.
In these situations, pharmacy professionals must continue to meet our regulatory standards, which they are personally accountable for meeting, and should be able to justify the decisions they make.
How to deal with medicine shortages
The Human Medicines Regulations 2012, as amended, requires that the sale or supply of a prescription-only medicine can only be under a prescription given by an appropriate practitioner.
If the pharmacy is unable to supply a particular medicine stated on a prescription, then they should talk to the patient and ask their options These can include:
- Calling the manufacturer or checking their website for updates on when the medicine will be available
- Using an SSP to substitute the patient`s prescribed medicine for the active SSP
- Checking to contact the patient`s prescriber to jointly consider whether another suitable brand or medicine is available
- Checking whether the medicine is available at another local pharmacy.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed the ” Shortage of Key Medications Sparks Concern Among UK Pharmacists: Medicines Supply issues are being caused by a combination of factors, including Brexit. All medicine shortages have the potential to raise concerns for patients’ safety.