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 23 September 2026 · Sourced to the NHS, DHSC, MHRA & 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 Pressures Survey, 72% of pharmacy team members said they now face multiple supply issues 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 patient advice from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England is explicit: avoid stockpiling and ordering more than you need until your next prescription. Over-ordering is not a neutral act — it could affect other people's treatment as well as your own.
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 days, not months
The NHS advice is to request your repeat prescription up to 5 working days before you need your medicine. Allow longer ahead of a bank holiday, when GP practices and pharmacies have limited opening hours: NHS England in the North West, for example, asks people to order at least 6 working days in advance. How much you're prescribed each time is a decision for your GP practice, so it's worth asking your surgery or pharmacist what reorder point makes sense for your own repeat.
That lead time is what makes a shortage manageable: if there's a hitch, your pharmacist has time to source your medicine while you still have some left. For emergencies more generally, such as a power cut or water outage lasting a few days, the government's Prepare campaign says you should ensure you have enough of the medication you need to keep you going for several days.
If your medicine isn't available: speak to your pharmacist first
Talk to your pharmacist first, and as early as possible: the official patient advice is that this kind of temporary disruption is usually resolved quickly. 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. An SSP is issued by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and only when there is, or may be, a serious shortage of a specific medicine, so it's a controlled, official mechanism rather than improvisation.
NewSee this for your own homeHome Alerts: your postcode's power cuts, warnings and floods, on one screen. Free for your own home. Sign up in a minute.Start free →Never ration or change a dose yourself
This is the line that matters most: never ration a prescribed medicine, or stop taking it, to make a supply stretch. The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England ask pharmacies and GP practices to advise patients not to ration or stockpile medication, as this could have adverse effects for their treatment or the treatment of others — and, if you're given an alternative, to explain the importance of continuing to take it. Any change to what you take should come from your pharmacist, GP or prescriber — and if you have questions about a shortage, the official advice is to speak to your pharmacist or doctor, or contact NHS 111 (in Northern Ireland, your GP or GP out-of-hours service).
And don't turn to unverified online sellers to fill a gap — the MHRA's #FakeMeds campaign warns that fake prescription medicines not only fail to work but can also make you ill, and advises buying from a registered website or pharmacy. 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. The DHSC and NHS England advice is to avoid stockpiling and ordering more than you need until your next prescription, as it could affect other people's treatment as well as your own. 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?
The NHS says to request it up to 5 working days before you need your medicine, and to allow longer ahead of a bank holiday (NHS England in the North West asks for at least 6 working days). Your GP practice decides how much is prescribed each time, so ask them or your pharmacist what reorder point suits your own repeat.
What if the pharmacy doesn't have my medicine?
Speak to your pharmacist first, as early as possible; the official advice is that these disruptions are usually resolved quickly. 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 by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care only when there is, or may be, a serious shortage of a specific medicine.
Can I make my medicine last by reducing the dose?
No. Never ration a prescribed medicine or stop taking it to make it last: the official advice is that this could affect your own treatment or other people's. Any change should only follow a conversation with your pharmacist, GP or prescriber.
Sources (8)
- DHSC — Managing a robust and resilient supply of medicines
- DHSC & NHS England — Medicines shortages patient leaflet and pharmacy/GP poster (via NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service)
- NHS — How to order a repeat prescription
- NHS England North West — Order repeat prescriptions ahead of the Easter bank holiday (March 2026)
- Community Pharmacy England — Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs)
- Community Pharmacy England — Pressures Survey 2024: Medicines Supply (summary)
- GOV.UK Prepare — Get prepared for emergencies
- MHRA — #FakeMeds: buying medicines online safely
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