Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Deferred
Paragraph: 63
Require the Government to communicate its understanding of global medicines supply chain risks.
Conclusion
The global supply chain for medicines is complex, with a range of different actors involved in getting medicines from the raw materials to the manufacturer to the patient. The Government needs a clearer understanding and overview of the whole process, and the risks at each stage. If the Government already has that clarity, that should be communicated to Parliament. Only then can weaknesses in the chain, their causes, and how to tackle them be truly established so that the Government can get on top of this growing issue and provide the necessary solutions.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government discusses its commitment to expanding pharmacy services and promoting the Pharmacy First service, but does not address the recommendation about gaining a clearer understanding of the entire medicines supply chain and communicating it to Parliament.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
63
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
Partially Accept. The Committee raises an interesting point. Medicine supply chains are highly regulated, complex and global. Supply disruption affects many countries around the world and is not specific to the UK. Issues with the medicines supply chain can occur for a number of reasons, most commonly due to manufacturing difficulties, regulatory noncompliance, sudden demand spikes or distribution issues. DHSC and NHS England do not routinely procure or supply medicines but do have a responsibility to manage medicine supply issues, help to prevent shortages and minimise risk to patients when they occur. Whilst supply issues can’t always be prevented, there are a range of well-established tools and processes already in place to mitigate risks to patients and successfully bring shortages to resolution, such as Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs). The resilience of UK supply chains is a key priority, and we are continually learning and seeking to improve the way we work to both manage and help prevent supply issues and avoid shortages for patients. The Department, working closely with NHS England, is taking forward a range of actions to improve our ability to mitigate and manage shortages and strengthen our resilience. However, medicine shortages are a complex and global issue and everyone in the supply chain has a role to play in addressing them – any action will require a collaborative approach. We acknowledge the recommendation in the report to commission an independent review of the medicines chain and will keep this under consideration as part of response arrangements already underway to improve the way medicine supply issues are managed.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗