About the materials
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England have produced these documents to support patients and healthcare professionals.
Patient leaflet
The leaflet below gives patients an understanding of why medicines may be in short supply. It also directs patients to where to get advice and support to address concerns they may have when there is a shortage of their medicine.
The leaflet is tri-fold to be printed, folded, and handed out to patients who do not receive the medicine they are expecting because of a national supply issue.
The leaflet is supplementary information and should not replace conversations between healthcare professionals and patients regarding medicine shortages.
Print the patient leaflet from this PDF link
Pharmacist and GP poster
The poster gives pharmacists and GPs guidance on what to do when faced with a shortage of a medicine. It also directs on where to find the most up to date management advice for national supply issues to best support patients. It is intended to be printed and displayed in staff-only areas within community pharmacies, GPs and other primary care sites.
Print the poster from this PDF link
Additional resources
Healthcare professionals may find the following additional information useful:
- Royal Pharmaceutical Society – dealing with medicines shortages in community pharmacy flowchart
- MHRA Central Alerting System
- Community Pharmacy England – Shortages latest news
- Welsh Government – Medicines shortages guidance
- National Service Scotland – Medicines supply alert notices
- HSC Northern Ireland – Shortages information
- NHS England – A guide to the systems and processes for managing medicines supply issues in England
- Community Pharmacy England – Medicines Shortages
- Community Pharmacy England – Medicines Supply and Price Concessions Resources
- Community Pharmacy England – How prescriptions for unlicensed specials should be written