Guidelines : Stock shortages

The Medicines Optimisation Clinical Reference Group have considered a number of resources aimed at supporting prescribers with drug stock shortages. The resources (available below) include:

• The MIMS Live Stock Sortages Tracker listing the current drug shortages, the likely duration of the problem (where known), a link to advice on alternative products and a list of drugs that are no longer in short supply https://www.mims.co.uk/drug-shortages-live-tracker/article/1581516

• a local guide for managing stock shortages in primary care including good practice advice for Community Pharmacies and General Practice

Lists of current stock shortages available from:

• Communty Pharmacy England - monthly list of drugs with a price concession applied
• Specialist Pharmacy Service - Medicine Supply Tool (login required) list of medicines with supply problems and possible re-supply dates
• MIMS - Shortages Tracker with possible alternatives and re-supply dates
• PrescQIPP - Out of stock bulletins and intelligence around supply issues (login required)

See links to each of the resources

Additional resources to support practices in managing prescription requests from patients can be found here: https://surreyccg.res-systems.net/PAD/Guidelines/Detail/5198