Community pharmacies are unable to dispense a prescription at least once a day due to the growing crisis in the medicines supply chain, a new survey by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has claimed.

The survey of 500 pharmacies found that:

In this morning’s media rounds, the NPA warned the current situation poses a risk to patient safety with people potentially going without vital medication, presenting a serious risk to their health.

Nick Kaye, NPA chair, said: “These are deeply concerning statistics which show that patients are potentially having to forgo vital medication due to shortages. Pharmacies are at the sharp end of medicines shortages and frequently have to turn away distressed, frustrated and sometimes angry patients.”

It is particularly frustrating for pharmacists to be unable to meet a clear need when they have a safe and effective solution in their pharmacies already, he pointed out.

“It is madness to send someone back to their GP and it risks a patient either delaying taking vital medication or forgoing it altogether, which poses a clear risk to patient safety... the Government must look again at allowing pharmacists to use their professional judgment to supply an appropriate alternative when the prescribed version is unavailable.”