The UK faces a shortage until June
UK faces shortage of medicine used by 12 million people ‘until June’
The UK faces a shortage of a common painkiller used by millions – and it is expected to last until JUNE. The UK faces a shortage of co-codamol, pharmacy experts have warned.
“This is a distressing shortage,” Olivier Picard, Chair of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), told The Sun newspaper. “And pharmacists are trying their best to help patients manage severe pain. In some instances alternatives are being prescribed.”
“Where pharmacies have supplies, they will be doing all they can to manage them to ensure patients get the medication they need,” Olivier added. The painkiller is prescribed around 12 million times a year.
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Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, which represents around 5,000 pharmacies,has also spoken out.
Discussing the NHS shortage, Dr Leyla said: “Co-codamol is a popular medicine for the treatment of pain and whilst there are other painkillers available to substitute with, the increasing shortages of medicines are causing a lot of inconvenience for patients and healthcare providers and in some cases are delaying treatment.”
“Pharmacists have also been subject to abuse by patients who are delayed in receiving their medicines, but shortages are outside of their control,” she said.
She added: “There is no sign that the medicine shortage problems are going to ease down this year as many popular medicines continue to be on the shortages list.
“This is concerning to us. Pharmacists are working hard to ensure patients get medicines on time and we are asking people to please be understanding that some things are outside of our control.”
Olivier said: “The government must urgently act to address a growing list of medicine shortages impacting patients and pharmacists alike, who end up at the sharp end of an increasingly difficult medicine supply system,” Olivier added.
“One thing they could easily do to is allow pharmacists to make simple, safe substitutions to prescriptions where an item is out of stock, and save patients having to return to their GP without medication.”