Medicine Shortages Leave Pharmacies at ‘Breaking Point’

Continuing problems with the supply of medicines have become a “distressing new normal” for community pharmacies and patients, according to a report by Community Pharmacy England (CPE). The organisation said that the supply chain is “stuck at breaking point” and warned of a growing risk to patient health and increased workload and stress for its members. 

The 2025 Pharmacy Pressures Survey found that 87% of pharmacy staff now face daily supply issues — up from 67% in 2022. The survey gathered responses from owners of over 4300 pharmacy premises and 1600 team members.

The CPE called for urgent action to address shortages.

The report follows a warning in March  from the Centre for Long-Term Resilience, which said the UK is “perilously vulnerable” to disruptions of critical medical countermeasures. These included shortages of critical antibiotics such as gentamicin.

Serious Shortage Protocols Extended

A growing number of essential medications are now covered by Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs). SSPs allow pharmacists to either substitute a prescription with an alternative agent for one month, or to supply a reduced quantity that is in stock without a new GP prescription.

In the past year, they have been issued for:

Earlier this month, the government extended the current SSP for Creon , a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) warned that some patients were rationing doses, skipping meals, or travelling long distances to access the medicine. 

Rising  Aggression and Workload

The Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2024 , published in May last year, identified a “beyond critical” situation, with most pharmacies impacted by supply disruptions. It said patients were forced to play “pharmacy bingo” in their search for medications. Some were directing their anger towards staff, the CPE warned then. 

The latest CPE report found that:

• 96% of pharmacy team members had encountered patient frustration in response to supply issues.
• 86% of pharmacy owners said that shortages were leading patients to have to visit multiple pharmacies in search of medicines.
• 79% of team members reported incidents of aggression when medicines were unavailable or delayed.

Supply issues have also worsened, with 80% of pharmacy owners encountering daily wholesaler shortages and 26% reporting daily supply chain failures.

Most (74%) pharmacy owners reported that their staff were having to spend longer than ever before on medicines procurement, with 39% spending 1-2 hours daily sourcing alternative medicines. More than 90% of pharmacy staff reported increased workload and stress because of supply problems.

Patient Safety at Risk

CPE chief executive Janet Morrison said the survey showed that “as medicine supply issues remain a daily reality across the country, the risk to patient health has become a distressing new normal.” The survey results “suggest a system that is stuck at breaking point,” she said.

Olivier Picard, chair of the NPA, which represents over 6000 independent community pharmacies, said that staff were “at the sharp end of medicines shortages” and often forced to turn patients away despite having safe alternatives in stock.

“It is madness to send someone back to their GP to get a prescription changed,” Picard said. “It risks a patient either delaying taking vital medication or forgoing it altogether, which poses a clear risk to patient safety.” 

Picard endorsed the CPE’s call for the government to give greater flexibility to pharmacists to use their professional judgment to supply an appropriate alternative medication when the prescribed version is unavailable.

Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, also supported giving pharmacists more autonomy. She said allowing substitutions with patient consent — where clinically safe — could ease pressure on patients and services.

“Providing clear guidance to the public on what steps to take if their medication is unavailable is crucial,” she added. 

Dr Sheena Meredith is an established medical writer, editor, and consultant in healthcare communications, with extensive experience writing for medical professionals and the general public. She is qualified in medicine and in law and medical ethics.