Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Deferred
Review the effectiveness of Serious Shortage Protocols, focusing on timing and administrative burden.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government reviews the effectiveness of Serious Shortage Protocols, with a focus on their timing and their administrative burden. (Paragraph 49) 44 Pharmacy
Government response summary AI-generated
The government discusses the role of National Patient Safety Alerts and Medicine Supply Notifications in managing shortages, but does not address the specific recommendation to review the effectiveness, timing, or administrative burden of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs).
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) are a tool to manage and mitigate medicine and medical devices shortages. An SSP enables community pharmacists to supply a specified medicine or device in accordance with a protocol rather than a prescription, with the patient’s consent and without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber. An SSP is only used in the case of a serious shortage if, in the opinion of Ministers, it would help manage the supply situation and if clinicians advising Ministers think it is appropriate. Protocols are developed with input from expert clinicians but are only considered in exceptional circumstances. This work is overseen by the Medicines Shortage Response Group (MSRG). The administrative burden on pharmacy contractors of SSPs is balanced with the need to find an alternative way of dealing with the shortage each time an SSP is developed. An assessment of the Serious Shortage Protocol policy was conducted and published in May 2021, which found that the protocols were generally well received by stakeholders and had benefits for managing medicine shortages. Officials in the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) will continue to keep this policy under review, including considering their timing and administrative burden.
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