Pharmaceutical industry insights on the escalating medicine shortages impacting community. Understand the need to address these challenges as revealed by CPE.
A recent survey by Community Pharmacy England (CPE) reveals a stark increase in medicine shortages, significantly impacting community pharmacies across the country. The survey indicates that 99% of pharmacies experience supply issues at least weekly, with 94% of pharmacy owners reporting their teams are spending more time sourcing medicines in 2024 compared to 2023.
Increased Time Spent on Sourcing Medicines
The survey, which included responses from over 2,000 community staff members and owners of more than 6,000 pharmacy premises, highlights a growing problem. An overwhelming 72% of pharmacies are facing multiple shortages daily. Additionally, 94% of pharmacy owners noted that their teams are dedicating more time to sourcing medicines than in the previous year, with 84% stating that they are now spending longer than ever on this task.
Impact on Patient Health
The shortages are not just an inconvenience but a significant risk to patient health. According to the survey, 79% of pharmacy staff believe that these supply issues are putting patient health at risk. Furthermore, 84% of pharmacy team members reported experiencing aggression from patients frustrated by the lack of available medicines.
Specific Medicines Affected
The report details that supply disruptions affect a wide range of clinical and therapeutic areas. In 2024, medicines for treating diabetes, ADHD, and epilepsy were particularly impacted. In contrast, 2023 saw availability issues with hormone replacement therapies (HRT), adrenalines, and antibiotics.
Fin McCaul, managing director of Prestwich Pharmacy in Manchester, expressed the severity of the situation: “This is the longest period of continuous disruption that I’ve ever experienced. Shortages now affect products across all disease areas, from cardiology and diabetes to respiratory and mental health medicines.”
The Cost of Shortages
Anil Sharma, pharmacist and director of Medicines4U in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, highlighted the operational burden: “Sometimes up to 10% of things we place on order are coming up as out of stock. It’s costing us one to two hours a day of extra staffing time to resolve. This can end up being a matter of life or death for many patients.”
Calls for Action
Janet Morrison, chief executive of CPE, described the medicine supply challenges as “beyond critical.” She emphasized the urgency of the situation: “These issues must be resolved, and this evidence provides yet another stark warning which must not be ignored.”
In March 2024, The Pharmaceutical Journal reported that manufacturers notified the Department of Health and Social Care about medicine shortages an average of 137 times per month in 2023, up from 82 times per month in 2021. Healthwatch’s April 2024 research found that 24% of patients had experienced their pharmacy being out of stock of their medicines in the past year.
William Pett, head of policy and research at Healthwatch England, noted the dire consequences for patients: “Shortages can lead to rationing and desperate instances of ‘pharmacy bingo,’ where patients travel from pharmacy to pharmacy seeking stock. We call for a review of the medicine supply chain to ensure safety and resilience.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the issue: “There are around 14,000 licensed medicines and the overwhelming majority are in good supply. Our priority is to mitigate risks posed by supply issues to ensure patients continue to get the treatments they need. Most issues can be managed with minimal impact to patients. We recognize the vital role pharmacies play in our healthcare system and support them with £2.6bn a year in government funding.”
The escalating medicine shortages present a serious challenge for community pharmacies, affecting patient health and increasing operational burdens. Urgent action and a thorough review of the medicine supply chain are essential to address these issues and ensure the continued provision of essential healthcare services.
Source: More than 90% of pharmacies say medicines shortages have got worse over the past year
Pharmaceutical Industry
Pharmaceutical Industry
Comments are closed.
