A new group to investigate the causes of medicines shortages will be chaired by former deputy chief pharmaceutical officer (CPhO) for NHS England and Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) fellow Dr Bruce Warner.

The group will be convened by the RPS and will bring together experts from primary and secondary care, patients, the pharmaceutical industry, suppliers, regulators, government and the NHS.

And it will develop a report examining the factors behind medicines shortages, their impact on patients, and how the issue can be tackled.

Dr Warner said that despite the ‘huge amount of work’ happening behind the scenes of government and NHS – which he said he had ‘first hand’ experience of – it was clear from patient groups that ‘medicines shortages continue to be a real concern’.

‘Medicines are a key part of NHS care and their supply chain is a critical part of the UK’s infrastructure.

‘Medicines shortages may not be new, but there is now a growing recognition that greater collaboration is needed to help drive change,’ he added.

Meanwhile Professor Claire Anderson, RPS president, said that helping patients get the medicines they need was ‘at the very core of pharmacy practice’.

And she acknowledged the ‘toll’ that the ‘significant increase’ in medicines shortages over the last few years has taken on pharmacists and patients.

‘Patients can be bounced from pillar to post when a medicine is in short supply, and we’ve seen recent cases where they are really struggling to find an alternative. This is distressing for patients and frustrating for pharmacists,’ she said.

Describing medicines shortages as ‘a shared challenge across the health system’, she said the project would ‘bring together key stakeholders, undertake research and offer solutions to improve patients’ experience.’

Sharon Brennan, director of policy and external affairs at patient group National Voices, said that its 200+ health and social care charity members had been ‘increasingly hearing’ concerns around medicine shortages raised by the people they advocate for.

‘Chasing prescriptions, trying to get a GP appointment to have an alternative medicine prescribed, or in many cases for support with their health condition when their medication runs out, places increasing burden and unnecessary anxiety on patients,’ she said.

She added: ‘We are hopeful this advisory group will consider practical, short-term solutions to the current problems patients are facing alongside longer-term solutions to prevent this issue from continually arising.

‘Without this, we know patients will continue to live with the real worry that their health will worsen without access to the medications that are vital to their health.’