The NHS is experiencing unprecedented medicines supply problems, with 112 products recently in short supply. Supply chain problems are due to global politics, Covid, Brexit, and the fact that manufacturers can sell their medicines for a higher profit outside to UK.

Our dispensary and the local pharmacy rarely know whether a drug will be out of stock for six hours or for six weeks, making decisions whether to wait or switch very difficult. Switches often aren’t straightforward, and add to pharmacist’s and prescribers’ already full-on workload.

This isn’t going to get better any time soon, and may well get worse. Please remember that when you speak to colleagues at the Surgery or the pharmacy that this isn’t their fault, and help them to help you when problems arise. Please consider contacting your MP – the new Secretary of State for Health – Victoria Atkins to express your concerns: Victoria@victoriaatkins.org.uk