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Tough Action to Support Medicines Supply
A package of tough new actions to ensure that NHS patients can get the medicines they need was agreed at a summit to discuss concerns about current difficulties with the supply of medicines.
The summit was hosted by Health Secretary Andy Burnham and Health Minister Mike O’Brien on Tuesday. Participants included pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders from across the UK - including the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, the British Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers, the National Pharmacy Association, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - to discuss the nature and scale of medicines supply problems and how the issues can be tackled collaboratively.
The actions that were agreed* by participants are as follows:
| • As organisations representing the supply chain, regulators and Government, we will continue to work collaboratively to ensure that patients get the medicines they need. • The MHRA will undertake a proactive, targeted programme of inspection. • Those who are breaching existing duties to supply medicines, will face the consequences. Manufacturers and wholesalers risk losing their licences and prosecution, pharmacists and doctors risk being called to account by their respective professional bodies. The MHRA commits to investigating any suspected breaches of the regulations and the RPSGB or PSNI to any suspected breaches of the Code of Ethics referred to them. Evidence of suspected breaches should be referred to the MHRA or RPSGB or PSNI as appropriate. • The Government will raise the standards required for wholesaler dealers’ licences. This will be taken forward through the current MHRA consultation on strengthening the supply chain that ends later this month. • Through the Supply Chain Group, we will together develop and maintain a list of products in short supply, so that no-one has the excuse that they were not aware of supply difficulties. • Through the Supply Chain Group, we will jointly prioritise the products on that list for further examination, with a view to finding possible means of mitigation and resolution. • We will jointly develop best practice guidance for dispensing doctors, pharmacy, wholesalers and manufacturers to help them better manage the difficulties they face. This will include quota arrangements, ensuring awareness of contingency arrangements and communication with patients. • We will explore with manufacturers and wholesalers how we might place them under a more explicit duty to ensure that sufficient stocks are available to meet the needs of patients. • We agree to explore establishment of buffer stocks to be held by certain wholesalers to give greater flexibility to the supply chain. • We agree to regularly assess and monitor the situation through exchange of information. |
*Although there was broad agreement from the organisations represented at the summit, some organisations need to still formally ratify the agreement.
Commenting on the summit, Health Minister Mike O’Brien said: “We have reached agreement on a way to help NHS patients get the medicines they need. Manufacturers, wholesalers, pharmacy bodies, regulators and Government all agreed to work together to resolve the issue.
“The lower value of Sterling has resulted in some medicines destined for NHS patients being sold abroad for extra profit by a small number of unscrupulous speculators. Some pharmacists have had trouble getting hold of certain drugs because of this. For months, I have been seriously concerned about the potential impact of this on patients. It is unacceptable that some people have already had to wait longer than they should have to get their medication. Patients must come before profits.
“This new package of measures will help to ensure that NHS patients do not suffer and get the care they need when they need it.”
Sue Sharpe, CEO of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, said: "Nothing is more important to community pharmacists than obtaining and dispensing the medicines patients need. A collaborative approach is crucial to addressing this issue, and we are pleased that all parts of the supply chain are committed to working collectively and constructively. The robust package of measures that has now been agreed, including supporting all parts of the supply-chain with best practice guidance, will be instrumental in addressing this continuing problem."
Richard Barker, Director General, Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry, said: “Getting vital medicines to NHS patients is the job of all of us in the medicines supply chain and so we welcome the collaborative approach being taken by the Forum. We also strongly support the proposal to raise the standards to be applied to the licensing of wholesalers, to reinforce their mission to deliver medicines to meet the needs of UK patients, who should be at the centre of all of our activities.”
Participants at the Summit were:
Dispensing Doctors’ Association
Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee
National Pharmacy Association
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
BMA’s GP Clinical and Prescribing Committee
Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, England
Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Scotland
Chief Pharmacist, Northern Ireland
Community Pharmacy Scotland
Pharmaceutical Contractors’ Committee – Northern Ireland
Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland Pharmaceutical Adviser
Welsh Assembly Government
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry,Cymru
Community Pharmacy Wales
Ethical Medicines Industry Group
British Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers
Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
Department of Health
More Information
More information on the medicines supply problems can be found in the supply issues section of this website. The current supply problems remain a priority issue for PSNC.
Reporting Problems to PSNC
Contractors who have experienced problems in obtaining medicines because of quota arrangements are encouraged to feed this to the PSNC Information Team to support PSNC's ongoing monitoring of the situation. PSNC passes a monthly summary of the feedback received to the Department of Health. This information is also used as an evidence base in discussions with manufacturers on manufacturer-specific problems, for example highlighting problems with contingency arrangements and promoting solutions. Detailed information on problems arising is critical to our work to find solutions. Please feedback using the online feedback form or by contacting the PSNC Information Team.
Posted 4 March 2010