![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0_Pharmacies-antibiotics-use-for-sore-throats.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFor some patients, health leaders warn that missing even a single dose can have “life-threatening consequences”<\/p>\n
Health leaders have issued a warning over medicine shortages across England(Image: PA)<\/p>\n
Medicine shortages affecting patients are among the “most severe” ever experienced in the UK, health leaders have warned, with some patients facing “life-threatening consequences” if they miss even a single dose of medication.<\/p>\n
Pharmacists and GPs say shortages of commonly prescribed medicines, including for painkillers, blood pressure drugs and medication to manage epilepsy, are becoming more frequent and lasting longer.<\/p>\n
They warn the shortages create growing risks for patients who rely on treatments for conditions including epilepsy, pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis and menopause symptoms.<\/p>\n
Click here<\/a> to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily Newsletter<\/p>\n It comes as new figures reveal the UK is experiencing the longest-running medicine shortages on record, prompting calls for the government to form an emergency taskforce.<\/p>\n The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents around 6,000 independent community pharmacies, said shortages now pose a “serious risk to patient safety”. A new survey by the NPA has found 96 per cent of pharmacies believed shortages posed a serious risk to patient safety, while 89 per cent were unable to dispense medicine at least once a day because of supply problems.<\/p>\n It also found 98 per cent of pharmacies had encountered patients who visited several pharmacies in a single day trying to source a prescription – and 83 per cent had experienced abuse from frustrated patients due to unavailable medicines.<\/p>\n Pharmacists have also reported patients rationing medicines and, in some cases, skipping meals because they were unable to access treatment. One pharmacist told the NPA they were “experiencing the most amount of shortages I have known for the past 30 years”.<\/p>\n Pharmacists say medicine shortages continue to impact patients across the UK(Image: PA)<\/p>\n Olivier Picard, chair of the NPA, said: “This data confirms what pharmacists and GPs have been experiencing for many months; medicine shortages are becoming more frequent, lasting longer and causing increasing disruption for patients.<\/p>\n “These shortages are some of most severe the UK has experienced. Our medicines market has never been so volatile, with patients and primary care colleagues at the sharp end of events outside of their control.<\/p>\n “It is deeply distressing to find patients who have travelled from pharmacy to pharmacy to find the medicines they need without success. Although medicine shortages are frustrating and worrying, we are clear that in some instances they pose a serious risk to patient safety.<\/p>\n “Pharmacies spend significant time hunting stock and liaising with GP teams when they should be getting on with caring for their patients. We’re urging the government to convene an emergency taskforce to bring together all parts of the supply chain to tackle this issue.”<\/p>\n Pharmacists in Greater Manchester say “medicine shortages continue to be an issue for patients” in the region and across the country, resulting in patients “missing their medication” and “creates lots of uncertainty”.<\/p>\n TV pharmacist Thorrun Govind<\/a>, based in Manchester, told the M.E.N.: “It’s really important that people liase with their pharmacy team and try to ensure they order their prescription in good time. I do recognise it can be very frustrating and concerning for patients when they are having to deal with this.<\/p>\n “It’s very difficult seeing patients breaking down in front of you because they have come and their medication isn’t there. Sometimes we [pharmacists] can order medication and it just doesn’t arrive. There’s a whole multitude of reasons behind medicine shortages, like global conflicts, inflation, and a number of other factors. But it needs to be taken into account that the individual is impacted.”<\/p>\n Among the most concerning national cases is Creon other brands of Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT), a drug used to help people with pancreatic cancer and cystic fibrosis digest food.<\/p>\n A Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) has been in place since May 2024 and was extended until July 10, 2026, meaning supply disruption will have lasted for more than two years. Charities representing vulnerable patients who depend on medicine supplies have raised concerns about this ongoing shortage.<\/p>\n Alice Billin, head of policy and public affairs at Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said access to medicines is “critical” for patients. She said the recent shortages have had a “huge” impact on patients’ physical and mental health.<\/p>\n Anna Jewell, director of services, research and influencing at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said difficulties obtaining PERT can cause “significant distress and anxiety” and impact symptom control for patients.<\/p>\n Shortages are also impacting medicines used to manage epilepsy. Clare Pelham, chief executive of Epilepsy Society, said: “We understand how worrying it can be for patients to run low on essential medication.<\/p>\n “Epilepsy is a cliff-edge condition which means that missing even a single dose can have life-threatening consequences.<\/p>\n “We are calling on the UK Government to ensure their essential medicine supply chains are robust and water-tight so that no one is left vulnerable to global events.”<\/p>\n The NPA is calling for changes to legislation that currently prevents pharmacists from making simple substitutions when prescribed medicines are unavailable. Under existing rules, patients often have to return to their GP to obtain an amended prescription, creating further delays.<\/p>\n Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, President of the Royal College of GPs, said: “Medicine shortages can be frustrating for patients, GPs and pharmacists alike, especially when patients have to endure lots of back and forth to acquire a suitable alternative. At a time when GPs and pharmacists are working under significant pressures, medicine shortages only add to this.<\/p>\n “With appropriate safeguards in place, the College is supportive of pharmacists being able to make limited changes to prescriptions when a medicine is unavailable and a safe, clinically appropriate alternative is available within agreed prescribing guidance.”<\/p>\n The latest warnings come just weeks after NHS<\/a> England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey said he was “really worried” about medicine supply<\/a> issues linked to rising costs and global disruption.<\/p>\n Speaking on LBC Radio in March, Sir Jim was asked by a caller what contingency planning is in place in the NHS because “the UK imports 75 per cent of its medicine”. He replied: “We are really worried about this. We\u2019ve already had a couple of supply shocks in the last 12 to 18 months of key supplies.”<\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0_Medicine-shortages.jpg\")
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