Medicine shortages: how to stay safe and supplied
Medicine supply gaps are common and usually managed. The safe, calm response — order in good time, never stockpile, and let your pharmacist help — plus how Serious Shortage Protocols work.
By Tom Calder · Updated 20 July 2026 · Sourced to the NHS, DHSC & Community Pharmacy England
Shortages are normal — and usually managed
It's unsettling to hear that a medicine is in short supply, but it helps to know that supply disruptions are a normal, recurring feature of the global medicines market rather than an emergency. Of the roughly 14,000 medicines licensed for supply in the UK, the vast majority are in good supply at any given time, and the Department of Health and Social Care states that many supply issues "can be successfully managed by industry business continuity plans, or by local NHS action."
Pharmacy teams handle this constantly: in Community Pharmacy England's 2024 survey, 72% of pharmacy team members reported facing medicine supply issues multiple times a day. The system is used to it, and there are established processes — which is exactly why the calm, procedural response works and panic doesn't.
The golden rule: don't stockpile
The official advice is explicit: avoid stockpiling and ordering more than you need until your next prescription. Over-ordering is not a neutral act — it worsens shortages for everyone and can take medicine away from someone who needs it now.
The constructive version of "being prepared" here is simply to order your repeat prescription in good time, ideally while you still have medication left, so the pharmacist has time to source it if there's a hitch.
A reasonable buffer is small, not months
NHS repeat prescriptions are typically issued as a 28-day supply, and the advice is to reorder around a week before your current supply runs out. That's early enough to allow time for sourcing, but not so early that it amounts to stockpiling.
That week's lead time is the single most useful habit for coping with shortages — it turns "they're out of my medicine" from a crisis into a manageable few days while your pharmacy sorts it.
If your medicine isn't available: speak to your pharmacist first
Your pharmacist can often resolve the problem on the spot. One of the tools they have is a Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP), which since July 2019 lets a community pharmacist supply a specified alternative without you having to go back to your GP for a new prescription.
Under an active SSP a pharmacist may supply an alternative quantity, an alternative strength or formulation, or a generic or therapeutic alternative — provided it's reasonable and appropriate in their professional judgement and you agree to it. Only the Secretary of State for Health can issue an SSP, and only when there is genuinely a serious shortage of a specific medicine, so it's a controlled, official mechanism rather than improvisation.
Never ration or change a dose yourself
This is the line that matters most: never ration, stop, or change the dose of a prescribed medicine on your own during a shortage. Doing so could harm your own treatment or, in some cases, affect the supply and treatment of others. Healthcare professionals are clear that any change should only be made after speaking to a pharmacist, GP or the prescribing clinician.
And don't turn to unverified online sellers to fill a gap — route every problem through official channels: your pharmacist first, then your GP. They deal with shortages daily and are far better placed to keep you safely supplied.
Common questions
Are medicine shortages common in the UK?
Yes — they're a normal, recurring feature of the global medicines market, and most of the roughly 14,000 licensed medicines are in good supply at any time. Pharmacy teams manage supply issues daily through established processes.
Should I stockpile my medication in case of a shortage?
No. Official advice is explicit that over-ordering worsens shortages for everyone. Instead, order your repeat prescription in good time — ideally while you still have medication left — so your pharmacist has time to source it.
How far ahead should I order my repeat prescription?
Around a week before your current supply runs out. NHS repeats are typically a 28-day supply, and that week's lead time allows for sourcing without tipping into stockpiling.
What if the pharmacy doesn't have my medicine?
Speak to your pharmacist first — they can often resolve it. Under a Serious Shortage Protocol they may supply an approved alternative quantity, strength, formulation or product without you needing a new GP prescription, with your agreement.
Can a pharmacist change my medicine without asking my GP?
Under an active Serious Shortage Protocol, yes — they can supply a specified alternative without a new prescription, if it's appropriate in their judgement and you consent. SSPs are issued officially only when there's a genuine serious shortage.
Can I make my medicine last by reducing the dose?
No — never ration, stop or change a dose yourself, as it could harm your treatment or others'. Any change should only follow a conversation with your pharmacist, GP or prescriber.
Sources: DHSC — Managing a robust and resilient supply of medicines · Community Pharmacy England — Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) · NHS — Repeat prescriptions · NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service — Medicines supply. PreparedBritain is independent and not affiliated with HM Government.
The Emergency Kit Checklist
The GOV.UK Prepare essentials on one printable page — tick them off as you go and keep it with the kit. Free, no catch.
Download it straight away. We'll also send the occasional briefing when something genuinely matters — severe weather, live incidents, real price drops. Nothing else.
Keep reading
All fire, gas & first aid guides →Lithium battery fires: charging e-bikes, power banks and phones safely
Why lithium batteries fail, the charging rules that prevent fires, warning signs of a failing pack, and how to…
How to treat a burn or scald: the first-aid steps that matter
The NHS first-aid sequence for burns and scalds: cool under running water for at least 20 minutes, no ice or creams,…
What should be in a home first aid kit: a UK checklist
A calm UK checklist for a home first aid kit — sensible quantities room by room, sourced to the NHS and British Red…