Pharmacies throughout the United Kingdom are confronting a deepening crisis as vital medications, including essential blood pressure treatments and aspirin, become increasingly scarce. This alarming situation stems from severe supply constraints and chronic underfunding within the NHS, according to stark warnings from sector leaders.
Critical Shortages Impacting Patient Health
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has highlighted widespread shortages of aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets, a medication crucial for preventing heart attacks and strokes in at-risk patients. These shortages follow reported deficits of common blood pressure medications such as propranolol and ramipril. While global supply chain disruptions contribute to the problem, pharmacists emphasise that a fundamental financial mismatch within the NHS is critically exacerbating the issue.
Financial Strain on Pharmacies
Analysis by the NPA reveals a stark disparity between the cost of dispensing drugs and the reimbursement pharmacies receive from the NHS. For instance, the price of a packet of aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets has skyrocketed from 18p last year to £3.90 in January, yet the NHS only reimburses pharmacies £2.18 per packet. Similarly, the blood pressure medication Irbesartan costs pharmacies £6.09, but they receive a mere £1.68 from the NHS.
Henry Gregg, chief executive of the NPA, told the i Paper: "It is a scandal that all too often pharmacies are subsidising the cost of the nation's medicines. It pushes pharmacies to the edge of closure and exacerbates chronic problems with medicine supply." He added, "The Government must stop funding pharmacies below the cost price of medicines - no other part of the NHS would tolerate this."
Mounting Pressures and Calls for Reform
A recent report by the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) warns that pharmacy dispensing is buckling under record NHS demand and inflationary pressures. CCA chief executive Malcolm Harrison stated: "Dispensing, whilst often undervalued and overlooked, provides enormous benefits to patients, the NHS and taxpayers." He further commented, "Community pharmacies remain the cornerstone of local, accessible, high-quality healthcare, yet mounting pressures threaten their ability to fulfil this role. Decades of underfunding have weakened the sector, and without urgent investment and reform, patient access to essential services will be at risk."
Plea for Greater Substitution Powers
In response to the shortages, pharmacy leaders are urgently calling on the Government to grant them enhanced powers to substitute out-of-stock medicines. Currently, pharmacists are restricted from making even simple substitutions for prescribed medications that are unavailable, forcing patients to contact their GP for a new prescription—a process that delays treatment and increases pressure on primary care.
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said: "It is incredibly worrying to see shortages of essential medicines such as aspirin and blood pressure treatments appearing in pharmacies. These low stock levels are partly due to manufacturing delays, but also because pharmacies are simply unable to order the quantities they need."
She concluded with a stark warning: "The reality is that the prices paid for many medicines by the NHS are so low that manufacturers often prioritise supplying other countries instead, leaving the UK pushed to the back of the queue. It is vital that the Government urgently reviews how medicines are reimbursed to pharmacies, otherwise these shortages will only worsen."
Advice for Patients
In the interim, patients affected by medication shortages are advised to consult their local pharmacist, who is a highly trained healthcare professional capable of advising on suitable alternatives where available. This crisis underscores the urgent need for systemic reform to safeguard the nation's medicine supply and protect community pharmacy services.
