All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy inquiry into medicines shortages in England (July 2025)

Summary

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pharmacy has published its landmark report into medicines shortages in England, further revealing the scale and severity of the issues facing patients, pharmacists and the wider NHS.

The inquiry finds that medicines shortages have shifted from isolated incidents to a chronic, structural challenge. The APPG has found that with 96% of pharmacists spending increased time managing shortages and 92% reporting decreased patient satisfaction, the impact on frontline care is stark. Nearly two-thirds of pharmacists are contacting prescribers multiple times a day to resolve supply issues, while 40% spend between 1–2 hours daily managing shortages.

Related reading on the hub:

• Medicines shortages: minimising the impact on patients (a blog by Catherine Picton)
• Medication supply issues: A pharmacist’s perspective
• Medication supply issues: Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS)