Royal Pharmaceutical Society calls for Government Action to Tackle Medicines Shortages

A new report has been published by the RPS urging the government to create a national strategy to tackle medicines shortages and to change legislation to allow community pharmacists across the country to amend prescriptions when medicines are in short supply.

The report explains how supply chain vulnerabilities combined with unplanned spikes in demand, such as shifts in prescribing practice or increased diagnosis of some conditions, have created an unstable supply of medicines. This has made it harder for patients to access treatment and caused frustration for pharmacists and their teams who want to focus on patient care rather than spend hours chasing down supplies.

RPS suggest that better collaboration across the whole medicines supply chain is needed. They emphasise that prompt notice of a supply problem allows time to act, find solutions and produce clear guidance, meaning pharmacists are fully informed and patients are saved from delays and confusion that can cause distress and harm to health.

Read the report here.