Pharmacy leaders issue warning over ‘dangerous’ medicine delays
Why patients are waiting weeks for essential medicines
- Pharmacy leaders are demanding urgent action to address significant delays in dispensing medication, often caused by widespread shortages.
- Current regulations prevent pharmacists from modifying prescriptions, such as substituting different formulations or strengths, even when the prescribed item is out of stock.
- This restriction forces patients to seek new prescriptions from their GP or visit multiple pharmacies, leading to waits of up to several weeks for vital medicines.
- A National Pharmacy Association (NPA) poll revealed 97 per cent of pharmacists reported patients waiting at least a day for new prescriptions, with 95 per cent stating patients went without medication despite safe alternatives being available.
- The NPA chairman, Olivier Picard, described the situation as "madness" and dangerous, urging the Government to amend outdated 1968 legislation to allow pharmacists greater flexibility.