Medicines supply issues ‘distressing new normal’, Pressures Survey confirms
Community Pharmacy England has today released a national report demonstrating the impact of a ‘distressing new normal’ of medicines shortages on patients and community pharmacies across England.
The Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2025: Medicines Supply Report shows how pharmacies and patients are paying the price in a system that seems stuck at breaking point. The report, which is being shared with national media, MPs and other pharmacy advocates this month, is based on views shared by the owners of over 4,300 pharmacy premises in England and 1,600 pharmacy team members in our recent Pressures Survey.
The results indicate medicines shortages and supply disruptions remain widespread, with mounting pressure on pharmacies as more time needs to be spent on managing medicines supply. 1 in 4 pharmacy teams are spending more than two hours a day sourcing alternatives for their patients.
Despite the Government regularly issuing Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) for key medicines such as antibiotics and Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy, supply issues continue to compromise patient care. 95% of pharmacy teams said patients are still being inconvenienced by ongoing shortages, and 73% said supply issues are putting patient health at risk.
The results show no improvement in medicines supply issues since the annual Pressures Survey first launched in 2022, when supply problems were often linked to factors such as Brexit, the war in Ukraine, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and wider economic instability. 87% of staff now face daily supply issues – up from 67% in 2022. The risk to patient health has also intensified, and aggression from frustrated patients remains high.
Community Pharmacy England is warning that pharmacies need urgent, systemic action. It has welcomed recent Government commitments to work on supply chain resilience and is calling for reforms that strengthen resilience, give pharmacists more flexibility during shortages, and ensure fairer financial arrangements for the medicines that pharmacies supply.
Read the 2025 Medicines Supply Report
Note: this is the first in a series of reports that are being developed about the findings of the 2025 Pharmacy Pressures Survey. In the coming months we will be using our findings to highlight the full range of severe challenges impacting on the community pharmacy sector.
Today, the findings of our Medicines Supply Report appeared in the Independent, Standard and Daily Mail. We are also disseminating the results more widely with other media outlets (with the support of LPCs), politicians, think tanks, patient groups, and other pharmacy advocates. If you are approached for comment or interview, please contact comms.team@cpe.org.uk for assistance.
Resources for pharmacies
This year we have developed a data dashboard, which provides a more in-depth look at the survey results:
Pharmacy owners can also help raise awareness of medicines supply issues using our updated resources:
- Medicines Supply Poster and Digital Screen files (for display in your pharmacy)
- Social Media Assets (for use online)
- MP Briefing (to share with local politicians)
Further support on this topic is available on our Medicines Supply and Price Concessions Resources webpage.
Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, said:
“Medicine supply issues remain a daily reality across the country: this has become a distressing new normal for community pharmacies and their patients alike. The ongoing time and effort required to manage shortages adds pressure on pharmacy teams, who are already working at full stretch.
Our survey results suggest a system that is stuck at breaking point, with yet more evidence that medicine supply problems haven’t disappeared. It will take sustained action to resolve this crisis and ensure patients can access the medicines they need, when and where they need them.
We are sharing our findings with Government and the NHS, as well as with the national media and politicians. Further reports showing the reality of the wide range of challenges that pharmacy owners and their teams are battling with every day will follow.”
Fin McCaul, a Community Pharmacy Owner in Greater Manchester, said:
“Every day we’re facing immense challenges with medicine shortages that are not our fault, and which we are powerless to resolve. It’s not just a matter of running out of stock: patients are rightly frustrated, and their health is being harmed. Our teams are caught in the middle, spending hours calling suppliers and contacting GPs, trying to find alternatives, while also trying to keep patients informed. The constant uncertainty is affecting both our staff and patients and each year; it only seems to get worse. We’re doing the best we can, but the pressure is overwhelming. We hope things improve soon, as the stress is taking its toll on everyone.”
Ruth Rankine, Director of the Primary Care Network at the NHS Confederation, said:
“I have seen first-hand the huge impact that medicine shortages can have on patients, pharmacists and their staff. This new survey paints a very worrying picture of the challenges patients are facing getting hold of essential medications, which could put their health at risk.
It also highlights the increased burden being placed on pharmacists and their staff, in terms of managing patient concerns and sourcing alternatives both of which take them away from delivering patient care. We have a highly skilled workforce within community pharmacy whose role is critical to achieving the government’s ambition to shift more care closer to home, if they are enabled to work at the top of their licence.
Our community pharmacist members are ambitious, innovative and want to work with partners to deliver new models of care, and better support local communities. But systemic challenges around medicine supply issues need to be addressed through allocating resources to mitigate shortages, adjusting prescribing practices and coordinating with suppliers.”
