Pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock has stressed that the government is working hard to ensure that community pharmacies and other healthcare professionals are relieved from the pressures of sourcing and supplying medicine.
Earlier this year, a report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pharmacy called for urgent reforms to medicines supply, after describing shortages as a “permanent and escalating feature” of the healthcare system.
The report on an APPG inquiry into the issue concluded that shortages have become a constant and growing threat to NHS care and patient safety.
It painted a stark picture, outlining how medicines shortages are disrupting treatment for patients, increasing pressure on overstretched pharmacy teams, and adding hundreds of millions in costs to the NHS.
“The resilience of United Kingdom supply chains is a key priority, and we are continually learning and seeking to improve the way we work to both manage and help prevent supply issues and avoid shortages,” said Kinnock.
The APPG has found that with 96 per cent of pharmacists spending increased time managing shortages and 92 per cent reporting decreased patient satisfaction, the impact on frontline care is stark. Nearly two-thirds of pharmacists are contacting prescribers multiple times a day to resolve supply issues, while 40 per cent spend between 1–2 hours daily managing shortages.
On 15 August 2025, the Government published a policy paper, Managing a robust and resilient supply of medicines.
“We will continue to engage with industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and other stakeholders across the supply chain as we progress work to co-design and deliver these actions,” added Kinnock.
