Medicine shortage in England now 'beyond critical' with seven drugs unavailable

An NHS medicine shortages in England ‘beyond critical’, pharmacists have warned. A survey has revealed challenges faced by pharmacists and risk of harm to patients as key drugs from the NHS are unavailable across the country.

The situation is so serious that pharmacists increasingly have to issue “owings” to patients, the Community Pharmacy England (CPE) report found. “The medicine supply challenges being faced by community pharmacies and their patients are beyond critical,” said Janet Morrison, CPE’s chief executive.

“Patients with a wide range of clinical and therapeutic needs are being affected on a daily basis and this is going far beyond inconvenience, leading to frustration, anxiety and affecting their health. For some patients not having access to the medicines they need could lead to very serious consequences, even leaving them needing to visit A&E.

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"Medicines shortages are leading to delays in patients being able to access certain critical or potentially life-saving medicines in a timely manner.” Drugs in short supply include insulin, asthma drugs, adrenaline, antibiotics, HRT, ADHD and epilepsy medicines.

James Davies, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s director for England, said: “Medicines shortages are disrupting treatment for some patients and destabilising their health.”

“Most people are very understanding, but they are worried and frightened, and inevitably sometimes that boils over and we have people taking it out on us,” said Fin McCaul, the owner of an independent community pharmacy in Greater Manchester.

“We have had patients being annoyed and angry, and occasions of people spitting at us. I regularly have staff in tears by the end of the day because of the sheer pressure of it all.”

Other drugs short include insulin, which Type 1 diabetics need to take, and salbutamol, which is used to tackle serious breathing problems experienced by asthma patients. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “There are around 14,000 licensed medicines and the overwhelming majority are in good supply. Supply issues can arise for a wide range of reasons and are not specific to the UK.”