Wirral's independent local news website
Townfield Pharmacy, based in Noctorum, is raising awareness of a national medicine shortage affecting all pharmacies in Wirral, but wants to assure patients that the team are doing everything possible to alleviate the issues of supply.
Pharmacists have been struggling to obtain stock for various medications across a range of health areas, including HRT, epilepsy, acne, contraception, and many others.
Popular brands like Beechams, Calpol, and Gaviscon, as well as more generic offerings such as Paracetamol, have been affected by supply issues.
These shortages are nationwide and are affecting all pharmacies throughout the UK.
Pharmacists are now spending more time trying to source medication from wholesalers or other pharmacies, and ultimately can’t get ahold of them. Wholesalers frequently do not have enough staff in warehouses and depots to pick the meds, nor enough drivers to deliver them.
Townfield staff would typically place an order expecting to receive them on the next run, but they have recently experienced missing and incorrect tote boxes, the supply of incorrect medication, and the supply of too little and too much medication.
This creates extra work for the pharmacy team, who must spend additional time creating credit notes, but it is ultimately the patient who suffers. Unable to receive the medication they need, many patients become angry and direct abuse at pharmacy staff.
A spokesperson for Townfield Pharmacy said, “Though still a sensitive subject, Brexit has exacerbated the situation. With workers returning to their countries of origin, there are no longer enough people available to work these difficult jobs at wholesaler depots and distribution centres.
“All industries are being affected by rising costs of raw materials, staff resources, fuel and energy; that’s not to mention the impact of Brexit which contributes to these rising costs.”
Image: Laurynas Mereckas
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