One in five (20.1%) patients in England had problems obtaining their prescription medication this summer, according latest Office of National Statistics (ONS) figures.

However, 85% of adults using pharmacy services said they were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the service they received.

This exceeded the 67.4% of adults who tried to contact their GP practice who said their experience was ‘good’ or ‘very good’.

These were the results of the experiences of NHS healthcare services in England survey, commissioned by NHS England and completed by more than 104,000 people between 23 July and 15 August 2024.

Concerningly, it revealed that of those who had received an NHS prescription (71,174), 20.1% had a ‘problem’ obtaining it.

Of those who experienced difficulties in obtaining their NHS prescriptions, 13.4% were resolved the same day, 28.5% the next day, 36.1% within three to four days, 8.3% after six days or later, and 13.6% took seven days or longer to be resolved.

Jay Badenhorst, director of pharmacy at the Pharmacists' Defence Organisation (PDA), said the findings were 'troubling'.

He said that PDA members 'regularly' report that 'rather than providing pharmaceutical care, they spend more time sourcing medication'.

Mr Badenhorst pointed to medicines shortages that were often caused by supply chain issues, manufacturing delays, increased demand and regulatory changes.

‘Any barriers keeping pharmacists from interacting with patients must be addressed promptly, as access to medication is vital for patient health,' he said.

Though he added that the findings showing high levels of patient satisfaction with community pharmacy were ‘a testament to the adaptability and commitment of community pharmacies in meeting patient needs.'

'This not only speaks to the commitment and professionalism of pharmacists and pharmacy teams but also instils optimism about the future of pharmaceutical care,’ said Mr Badenhorst.

‘The high satisfaction rate compared to GP practices also underscores the valuable role pharmacies play in alleviating pressure on other parts of the NHS, ensuring patients receive timely support for their healthcare needs.’

Chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society England Board, Tase Oputu, said the data showed one in five patients were ‘being disappointed’.

‘Medicines shortages have increased significantly in recent years and our members continue to tell us of the toll this puts on them and the people using pharmacies,’ she said.

‘It is testament to the work being undertaken by pharmacy teams that many of these supply issues are resolved within a day.’

She added: ‘It is also encouraging that 85% of patients were satisfied with pharmacy services, reflecting the dedication and value of pharmacists and pharmacy teams in the community.’

Ms Oputu reiterated calls for the medicines supply chain to be improved and for changes to the law that would allow pharmacists in England to make minor amendments to prescriptions, ‘allowing quicker access to medicines without having to go back to their prescriber’.

Parts of this article first appeared in our sister title Healthcare Leader.