The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has advised that community pharmacies “do not need to take any steps to stockpile additional medicines, beyond their business as usual stock levels” in the run up to Brexit in March 2019, even if there is no deal.

Prescribers are not required to write longer NHS prescriptions, however pharmaceutical companies are required to hold an additional six weeks supply of medicines. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) is representing the interests of community pharmacies in discussions, the outcomes of which will feed into PSNC’s Brexit Forum which has been set up to provide a platform for the community pharmacy sector to work through issues and to keep all contractors well informed as the Brexit deadline approaches.

PSNC chief executive Simon Dukes said: “PSNC supports this important DHSC work to secure the supply of medicines to pharmacies and patients. Medicines form a vital part of many people’s treatments and after Brexit everyone in the UK must still be able to access the medicines they need, when they need them, from community pharmacies.”