CPE brings DHSC face to face with medicines shortages
Members of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)’s medicines supply team joined Community Pharmacy England on a series of pharmacy visits last week, giving them first-hand experience of the ongoing difficulties sourcing medicines and other challenges pharmacy teams face every day.
Hosted by Committee Members David Broome and Phil Day, plus Chair of Community Pharmacy West Yorkshire Ashley Cohen, the visits showed DHSC officials the amount of effort that has to be put in to maintain patient access to essential medicines. Pharmacy teams demonstrated the extensive measures required each day to source stock, manage short supply protocols and maintain patient care.
The discussions covered:
- Persistent shortages, including current difficulties with aspirin and ramipril, and the impact of supply instability on clinical conversations with patients;
- Access to medicines, including the pressures caused by supply notifications, stock movement issues, and the complexities of the Drug Tariff; and
- Use of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs), and the challenges pharmacies experience in implementing them consistently and promptly.
Community Pharmacy England has repeatedly warned that medicines supply issues are placing unsustainable burdens on the pharmacy network: driving up workload, creating cost pressures, and increasing the risk of delays for patients. These visits form part of our ongoing work to ensure Government and NHS leaders fully understand the operational, financial, and workforce impact of a range of burdens on community pharmacies.
James Davies, Director of Research and Insight at Community Pharmacy England, who led the visits, said:
“This was an important opportunity to show the frontline pressures pharmacy teams are managing every day, exposing Government officials to the realities on the ground. Visits and discussions like these help us to make the case for improved funding and support for community pharmacies and ensure that national policy reflects real-world conditions.”
