By Osman Ali, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer's Clinical Fellow for the RPS
Medicine shortages in secondary care
In hospital pharmacy procurement, medicine shortages were once rare occurrences. However, in recent years, they have become a frequent daily challenge. Managing these shortages is highly time-consuming, but the free Medicines Supply Tool hosted on the SPS website has proved hugely useful, saving time and empowering clinicians to make informed decisions.
Historically, when faced with a shortage, pharmacy procurement teams would first investigate whether the issue was a temporary supply disruption with the local wholesaler, whether an off-contract product could be purchased to resolve the problem, and finally, if the shortage was part of a wider national supply issue. Many hours were spent on this process.
Using the Medicines Supply Tool
The introduction of the Medicines Supply Tool proved a game-changer. It provides essential information on national medicine supply issues, including the specific medications impacted, details on the affected tier, status and anticipated resupply date, and the date of the most recent update. With just a click, the tool offers in-depth guidance on managing shortages. For example, for ongoing supply issues, it may advise against initiating new patient medication until the issue is resolved, and if an alternative formulation exists, it suggests "consider alternative preparations” and provides the available alternatives.
The Medicines Supply Tool has been shared with clinical members across the trust who have an NHS email address. This widespread access ensures clinical staff receive updates on national supply issues and recommended alternative treatments. This transparency has greatly improved communication between pharmacy procurement and clinical teams, offering a consistent picture of national supply issues and boosting clinician’s confidence in our pharmacy procurement team. By realising that medicine shortages are not local but national, the clinical staff no longer viewed the pharmacy as the bottleneck, but as an essential partner in navigating these challenges.
Crucially, the tool has also reduced the number of phone calls and emails to the pharmacy procurement team, as clinicians have direct access to information on supply issues, alternatives and anticipated resupply dates. The tool aggregates data from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England, helping pharmacists and prescribers navigate shortages and ensure continuous treatment, especially for high-priority medications.
Revalidation time
When annual revalidation is due, many pharmacy colleagues engage in discussions about possible topics for planned or unplanned learning, or just peer reviews. A community pharmacy colleague contacted me to discuss medication supply shortages as their topic of interest, and the actions they had taken to address this issue. For the peer review, I used review templates available on the RPS and GPhC websites to support the discussion.
It turned out my community colleague was not aware of the Medicines Supply Tool. I described how, in our trust, I had implemented the tool and how clinical colleagues also had access to it. I suggested that it might be useful in the community pharmacy setting, not only for pharmacy staff but also to share with local GP practices and other healthcare teams who prescribe, allowing them to see national supply issues and suitable alternatives. They felt this was a good option. We closed the peer discussion, summarising and reflecting on what had been discussed.
Try the Medicines Supply Tool
The Medicines Supply Tool is an invaluable resource for healthcare professionals involved in prescribing or managing the supply of medicines. Accessible to anyone with an NHS email address, it helps streamline communication, improve supply chain management and so enhance patient care. For any healthcare professional facing medicine shortages, the tool is a must-have resource.
Osman Ali is a registered pharmacist with extensive experience across multiple sectors. His career includes previous ownership of a community pharmacy, along with roles in primary healthcare organisations and GP practices. Before joining the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer's Clinical Fellow programme, Osman was responsible for secondary care pharmacy procurement and managing high-cost drug portfolios within an NHS trust.
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