News | Medicines shortages

Feature

Short-term savings, long-term costs: what cuts to medicines optimisation teams could mean for the NHS

Integrated care boards have confirmed to The Pharmaceutical Journal that they are reducing headcount in their medicines optimisation teams, which are primarily formed of pharmacists. What will this mean for the future NHS?…

Published: 9 July 2026

News

Call for government support as record price concessions hit 250 mark

Community Pharmacy England has announced that 254 price concessions were granted by the government in England in June 2026, which is more than double the amount of concessions this time last year.…

Published: 1 July 2026

News

Shortages stop pharmacies dispensing medication ‘at least once a day’

The results of a National Pharmacy Association survey showed that the vast majority of pharmacy owners said that they were unable to dispense a medicine at least once a day in the past year owing to medicines shortages.…

Published: 18 June 2026

Opinion

Janet Morrison: ‘Any contract reform is likely to have winners and losers’

As details of the new pharmacy contract hit the headlines, Janet Morrison talks through the rationale behind the details and what the sector can expect in coming months.…

Published: 17 June 2026

Feature

The Critical Medicines Act: can the UK manage supply problems with the EU’s ‘safety belt’?

Pharmacy leaders are hopeful that the Critical Medicines Act will help to alleviate medicines shortages in the UK, which have been rumbling on for several years.…

Published: 12 June 2026

News

Government is reviewing enforcement mechanisms on medicines shortages reporting

In its response to a House of Lords Public Services Committee report on medicines security, the Department of Health and Social Care said it hoped to improve compliance and timeliness of shortage reporting.…

Published: 20 April 2026

Feature

Does the big increase in drug price concessions indicate medicines shortages?

As the number of drug price concessions increased eight-fold in March 2026, The Pharmaceutical Journal examines whether this may indicate shortages in the market.…

Published: 16 April 2026

News

Minister acknowledges ‘challenge’ of low UK medicines pricing

Health minister Zubir Ahmed has warned that the UK ”must remain alert to the risk” that low medicines prices internationally pose for long-term supply security.…

Published: 15 April 2026

News