Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2025: Medicines Supply Report (30 June 2025)

Summary

Community Pharmacy England has released a national report demonstrating the impact of a ‘distressing new normal’ of medicines shortages on patients and community pharmacies across England.

Content

The Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2025: Medicines Supply Report shows how pharmacies and patients are paying the price in a system that seems stuck at breaking point. The report is based on views shared by the owners of over 4,300 pharmacy premises in England and 1,600 pharmacy team members in our recent Pressures Survey.

The results indicate medicines shortages and supply disruptions remain widespread, with mounting pressure on pharmacies as more time needs to be spent on managing medicines supply. 1 in 4 pharmacy teams are spending more than two hours a day sourcing alternatives for their patients.

Despite the Government regularly issuing Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) for key medicines such as antibiotics and Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy, supply issues continue to compromise patient care. 95% of pharmacy teams said patients are still being inconvenienced by ongoing shortages, and 73% said supply issues are putting patient health at risk.

Community Pharmacy England is warning that pharmacies need urgent, systemic action. It has welcomed recent Government commitments to work on supply chain resilience and is calling for reforms that strengthen resilience, give pharmacists more flexibility during shortages, and ensure fairer financial arrangements for the medicines that pharmacies supply.

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)

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