A stark warning has been displayed in the window of Eico Pharmacy in Highgate Road, drawing attention to what staff describe as a deepening medicines crisis affecting patients and pharmacies. The pharmacy, located a few doors down from Parliament Hill Medical Centre, reports that medications such as statins—used to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes—and some epilepsy drugs are in short supply.
Root Causes of the Shortage
According to staff, the shortages are driven by a combination of supply chain disruptions, reliance on overseas manufacturing since Brexit, pricing disputes with manufacturers, and delays in reimbursement from the NHS. These factors have left pharmacies under “unsustainable pressure.” Viksash Shah, a pharmacist at Eico for 15 years, explained: “We know there is a medicine shortage; it has happened before. The good thing is we are close to the GP, and if there are any changes, out of stock or shortages, we always tell them the alternatives which they can prescribe for one month just to keep the patients going. But again—that all takes time and the patients get worried.”
Poster Highlights Funding Crisis
A poster in the pharmacy window states that the UK has been abandoned by manufacturers and that the “supply chain is broken.” It emphasizes that this is not a pharmacy failure but a government funding crisis. The poster adds that seven pharmacies are closing every month in the UK, and that the NHS “expects your pharmacy to source and supply your medicine while we lose money on almost every item.” Mr. Shah noted: “Since Brexit happened, now all of a sudden some medications cannot be manufactured here, so when they are coming from abroad sometimes there are problems. For months there may be high medication prices—and it’s only if all the pharmacies do report about high prices then the committee will inform the NHS and then the NHS will look to reimburse you after one month, but by that time you’ve lost money as we have already paid for it out of our own funds.”
Impact on Pharmacy Services
Mr. Shah added that the majority of pharmacies are now providing additional services to generate revenue. “But obviously you need enough staff and enough time for that, and if you don’t have that it is hard to provide services.” Eico Pharmacy is owned by Kalpen Patel, who also owns a pharmacy in Swains Lane. Mr. Shah expressed cautious optimism, stating that the pharmacy’s medicine supply should return to normal in the coming months, but warned: “This could keep happening in a repeated cycle and then things will get worse for the pharmacy.”
Government Response
Recently, the Department of Health stated that there are currently no shortages as a result of conflict in the Middle East, adding: “We are working closely with industry partners to help ensure the continued supply of medical products, and we actively monitor emerging threats to supply resilience.”
