Inquiry into medicines shortages

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pharmacy has published a report into medicines shortages in England, further revealing the scale and severity of the issues facing patients, pharmacists and the wider NHS. The inquiry finds that medicines shortages have shifted from isolated incidents to a chronic challenge. The APPG has found that with 96% of pharmacists spending increased time managing shortages and 92% reporting decreased patient satisfaction, the impact on care is stark. Nearly two-thirds of pharmacists are contacting prescribers multiple times a day to resolve supply issues, while 40% spend between 1–2 hours daily managing shortages.