People are having to play “pharmacy bingo” – going from store to store to find supplies – as drug shortages worsen, experts said.
Health leaders say some patients are even having to “ration” their medicines, with a new survey suggesting shortages are a “daily occurrence” for many of England’s pharmacies.
Treatments for ADHD, diabetes and epilepsy are among those affected this year, according to trade body Community Pharmacy England.
Its survey of more than 6,000 pharmacies and 2,000 staff found that shortages are “wreaking havoc” on patients.
Almost all (97%) of staff said patients were being inconvenienced, while 79% said their health was being put at risk.
Around 98% said they were also giving more “I owe you” – where they can only fulfill part of the recipe.
Nearly all pharmacies (99%) reported supply issues at least weekly, and 72% said they were experiencing “multiple issues per day.”
Another survey last month, carried out by the Nuffield Trust thinktank, said medicines shortages had more than doubled between 2020 and 2023 and that Brexit was likely to “significantly weaken” the UK’s ability to deal with the problems.
Shortages have also been a growing problem in Europe and the US in recent years.
However, the UK’s exit from EU supply chains is said to have added complications, such as customs border controls and medicine manufacturers facing additional regulation.
The fall in the value of the pound after Brexit it has also made it more expensive for the NHS to purchase medicines.
Community Pharmacy England boss Janet Morrison said the supply issues were “beyond critical” and had become an “ongoing battle” for pharmacies.
“Patients with a wide range of clinical and therapeutic needs are being affected daily and this goes far beyond inconvenience, leading to frustration, anxiety and affecting their health,” he added.
“For some patients, not having access to the medications they need can lead to very serious consequences, leaving them even having to go to the emergency room.”
Ms Morrison said the research was “yet another stark warning that must not be ignored”.
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William Pett of Healthwatch England called it an “ongoing problem that continues to wreak havoc on patients”.
“Healthwatch England hears about how shortages can lead to rationing and desperate cases of ‘pharmaceutical bingo’, where patients have to travel from pharmacy to pharmacy looking for stock,” he said.
Paul Rees, president of the National Pharmacy Association, called on the government to “fix the UK’s fragile medicines supply system so that pharmacies can do their work and patients can get their life-saving medicines in time”.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “There are around 14,000 licensed medicines and the overwhelming majority are in good supply. Supply problems can arise for a wide range of reasons and are not specific to the UK.
“Our priority is to mitigate the risks presented by these issues and help ensure that patients continue to receive the treatments they need. Fortunately, most problems can be managed with minimal impact to patients.
“We recognize the vital role that pharmacies play in our healthcare system and that is why they are supported by £2.6 billion a year in government funding. Deliberate violence or abuse directed at healthcare staff is unacceptable and all staff, including pharmacists and their teams, deserve to work in a safe and secure environment.”
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