Elders Pharmacy recently issued a public plea for patience after revealing that customers had been unable to obtain their medication due to ongoing supply problems.
The independent pharmacy said shortages had been affecting a range of commonly prescribed drugs for months, with some medicines either unavailable or costing pharmacies significantly more than they were reimbursed for by the government.
A health board spokesman said supply issues were global and not just restricted to Pembrokeshire.
Mr Pav Taneja, owner of Elders Chemist in Milford Haven, told the Western Telegraph the situation was unlike anything he had experienced in nearly three decades of working in the profession.
Patients have been urged to show patience and kindness as pharmacies continue to face supply challenges. (Image: Elders Chemist)
He said: “With regards to shortages, this has been an ongoing issue for many months now and it could be random drugs.
“Back in the early part of the year it was dispersible aspirin 75mg, a common drug used to thin the blood to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
“Then there was, and still is, a shortage of co-codamol 30/500 which is commonly prescribed for pain relief.
“This month we’ve seen Levothyroxine, used to treat an underactive thyroid, and Ramipril for blood pressure is noticeably short in the market.” he said.
Hywel Dda University Health Board said medicine shortages were being experienced across the UK and were not unique to Pembrokeshire.
Keith Jones, director of operational planning and performance at the health board, said global supply issues were being driven by a combination of manufacturing problems, increased demand, raw material shortages, distribution challenges and wider market pressures.
The pharmacy said the problem was being compounded by rising purchasing costs.
It claimed some medicines were now costing substantially more to buy than pharmacies were reimbursed for when they dispensed them.
Commonly prescribed medications, including levothyroxine and ramipril, are among those affected by supply issues. (Image: Elders Chemist)
Using Levothyroxine as an example, the pharmacy said a pack of 100mcg tablets was currently reimbursed at 93p, while the cheapest available stock cost £3.39.
Mr Taneja said: “In effect, we’re losing £2.46 per box in dispensing. When you take into account the volume dispensed, on that line only we could be losing £1,000 a month.”
He said Ramipril presented a similar challenge.
“As of yesterday, the cheapest in the market was £6.69 for 28. The government reimburses us £4.65, so we lose £2.04 per pack.
“This is a commonly prescribed drug for blood pressure and the volumes we dispense could lead to losses of up to hundreds of pounds.” he added.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said community pharmacies were reimbursed for NHS medicines through established pricing arrangements.
They added that where medicines could not be purchased at or below the agreed reimbursement price because of a shortage, concession prices could be granted to better reflect market costs and reduce the risk of pharmacies dispensing medicines at a loss.
The Welsh Government said concession prices were currently in place for levothyroxine, ramipril and co-codamol.
The shortages were having a direct impact on patients, according to the pharmacy, which said it was unable to fulfil some prescriptions every day.
Patients are increasingly being forced to try several pharmacies in the hope of finding stock, although there is no guarantee another branch will be able to help.
Elders Chemist is located on Saint Anne’s Road. (Image: Street View)
Mr Taneja added: “Patients are having to visit multiple pharmacies more often than not now due to the shortages. However, there’s no guarantee the other pharmacy can fulfil the prescription because they’d be in the same position.
“Last week we saw patients come to us from Boots and Cohens for that reason.”
While Elders Pharmacy said the overwhelming majority of customers had remained understanding, staff recently experienced an unusual rise in abuse linked to medicine shortages.
“In general our patients are very patient and tolerant,” said Mr Taneja.
“We’re a small independent chemist at the heart of the community. The majority of our patients appreciate what we do for them and that we endeavour to try our best.
“Incidents of abuse are few and far between, but yesterday they seemed far more than normal due to the shortages and us not being able to source the medications.”
The pharmacy has urged customers to remain patient while staff continue to work through supply issues beyond their control.
Patients are being encouraged to order repeat prescriptions in plenty of time, helping to reduce pressure on medicine supplies. (Image: Getty)
In relation to Ramipril, Hywel Dda said national supply issues affecting several strengths of the medication were expected to continue until at least the end of October.
The health board added that community pharmacies, GP practices and medicines management teams were working together to minimise disruption to patients wherever possible.
Mr Jones said patients having difficulty obtaining medication should contact their usual pharmacy in the first instance, as pharmacists could often advise on stock availability, alternative suppliers or liaise with prescribers if an alternative medicine or formulation was required.
Patients were also encouraged to request repeat prescriptions in good time, while avoiding ordering significantly earlier than needed, as this could place additional pressure on supply chains.
The Welsh Government spokesperson added: “Medicines shortages can happen due to increasing demand, disruption of raw materials or manufacturing problems.
“We are aware of UK-wide supply issues affecting Co-codamol and Ramipril. Both are expected to resolve by the end of October.
“People who have difficulty getting their medicine should discuss alternatives with their clinician.”