People across the country have been left unable to get any medication due to medicine shortages, with the National Pharmacists Association calling for a review of the supply chain.
Medicine shortages at pharmacies have been causing chaos for many across the UK, with a number of people struggling to get the medication they need. One man in Leeds died on December 13 after he fell downstairs, with epilepsy listed as a contributory factor in his death, after a pharmacy left him an ‘IOU’ for his prescribed anti-epileptic medicine.
Other people have also said they have struggled to get medication when they need it from their pharmacies.
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Bianca Jade wrote: “Very scary when your child relies on this n has problems getting it alot…
“Absolutely disgusting this country.
“Said for the past 18 months there will be loads we don’t know about the way it’s impossible to get we’ve had to go in hospital to get it because not one pharmacy had it twice last year.
“Then when they do have it takes days to come in n don’t like you to order it early”.
Fi Wood also spoke out, adding: “My husband has epilepsy from a brain tumour. He’s currently on keppra and we’re finding it hard to get his drugs too. Last month we rang 19 different Pharmacies to try get his prescription filled and in the end I had to travel to Bradford to get it. We live not far from the city centre In Leeds!
“Non of the Pharmacies offered to help us find it. All left to us. If I didn’t drive he would be buggered”.
Susan Loraine Holdsworth also said: “I have had the same problem with my heart medication when going to collect it just a note inside saying out of stock contact your doctor, two other chemist’s were out of stock one saying the had it when I went to collect they no longer had it after a lot of ringing doctors and chemist’s I eventually got it today.
“A chemist must know how much they need for regular patients, it’s getting serious when essential medications can not be in stock”.
Now, the National Pharmacists Association (NPA), has spoke out about the problems facing the industry. According to them, the shortages are complex and often related to failures in the medicine supply chain.
Nick Kaye, the Chair of the NPA, said: “Medicine shortages are a blight for both patients and pharmacies.
“Pharmacists will always help patients get alternative medication, when possible, but they face continual struggles obtaining supply across an ever-changing range of conditions, from diabetes to ADHD and epilepsy.
“Pharmacists are spending hours a day hunting down stock and are often forced to turn patients away due to being unable to order in vital medication.
“Pharmacists are highly trained health care practitioners, who should be permitted to use their professional judgment to supply an appropriate alternative medicine in the event of the prescribed version being unavailable.
“It’s crazy to send patients from pillar to post in pursuit of vital medicines when the answer may be right there in the pharmacy.
“To fix this frustrating situation for the long term, the Health Secretary should instigate an end-to-end review of the medicines supply chain to ensure it’s fit for the future.
“As well as this, we are urging the government to appoint a medicine shortages Tsar to use this opportunity to bring everyone together all bodies to tackle this growing and complex crisis once and for all.”