A warning has been issued by pharmacists across the country, as vital medicines are in short supply.
As reported by HullLive, a poll of 1,562 pharmacists for the Pharmaceutical Journal found that more than half of the workers - 54 per cent - believe patients have been put at risk in the last six months due to the shortages.
Patients have been facing difficulties in accessing their vital drugs, with some having to visit multiple centres to find their medication. Some even needed to go direct to their GP to be prescribed an alternative drug.
READ MORE - Former Britain's Got Talent finalist to feature on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing
The problem has been highlighted when shortages of hormone replacement therapy led to an outcry earlier in 2022. Since June, the Government has issued a number of "medicine supply notifications", which aim to highlight shortages.
Medicines in short supply include: pain relief drugs used in childbirth; mouth ulcer medication; migraine treatment; an antihistamine; a drug used among prostate cancer and endomitosis patients; an antipsychotic drug used among bipolar disorder and schizophrenia patients; a type of inhaler and a certain brand of insulin.
The Pharmaceutical Journal also noted that on August 3 2022, government officials urged hospitals to "conserve stock" of an anticlotting drug that is used to treat strokes. Healthcare workers have expressed concerns about switching medications for their patients to alternatives.
Community pharmacists told the Pharmaceutical Journal in August that shortages of the osteoporosis medicine alendronic acid were contributing to medication errors when alternatives were prescribed.
The journal reported that talks have begun with pharmacy leaders and the Government about ways to ease the shortages. A pharmacist at a children's hospital in England has said that nutritional product shortages are putting patients at risk.
She said: "We had to ration it, and this has potentially put patients at risk of vitamin deficiencies." Another hospital pharmacist raised concerns about drugs being unavailable at the end of a patient’s life.
They added: "There was no alternative for one patient who had to deal with an additional symptom in his last days of life due to lack of available treatment.”
Mike Dent, director of pharmacy funding at the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, told the journal: “We are becoming increasingly concerned about medicine supply issues and the very serious impact this is having on both community pharmacy teams and their patients.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We take patient safety extremely seriously and we routinely share information about medicine supply issues directly with the NHS so they can put plans in place to reduce the risk of any shortage impacting patients, including offering alternative medication.
“We have well-established procedures to deal with medicine shortages and work closely with industry, the NHS and others to prevent shortages and resolve any issues as soon as possible.”
READ NEXT
- The best of Edinburgh Festival Fringe unlocked in new BBC Scotland series
- New Scottish Harry Potter road trip takes Potterheads on journey across the country
- Coleen Rooney to 'make' Rebekah Vardy pay full amount of Wagatha Christie bill
- The 'likely' epicentre of Covid pandemic finally pinpointed by new studies
- Neighbours boss confirms reason Kylie barely spoke during finale special
