In this Article:
01: General Statistics02: Issues03: Solutions04: What is Pharmacy2U’s Medicine Stock Checker? 05: References06:General Statistics
Over half of the UK population (56%) currently have a repeat prescription, with a further 15% having had one previously.
2. Most people (67%) collect their prescriptions from a local pharmacy compared to 12% who opt for delivery from an online pharmacy.
Issues
3. In our survey, 37% of respondents said their prescription medicine had been unavailable upon request at least once in the past 12 months. Around half of respondents said this had happened multiple times.
4. This caused frustration, stress, worry and anger among respondents, with almost one in four feeling like their time had been wasted.
5. Two in three (65%) of those who experienced shortages believe it had a negative impact on their condition, with 21% saying this impact was significant.
6. Less than half of respondents (46%) said that they believe their regular pharmacy does a good job of keeping them updated on medicine availability.
7. Medicine availability isn’t the only problem. One in four (25%) have regularly found their prescription is not prepared on time, with a similar number (23%) saying their pharmacy has been too busy during opening hours.
Solutions
8. 27% believe a simple online checker to see medication availability would be extremely helpful.
9. When medicine has been unavailable, 12% of respondents turned to online pharmacies like Pharmacy2U instead – rising to 20% of those aged 18 to 34.
What is Pharmacy2U’s Medicine Stock Checker?
Our Medicine Stock Checker is a free search tool that lets people check if their medicine is in stock with us before requesting a repeat prescription. This can be done by simply searching by medicine name and dose for our latest availability.
The idea is that patients are better equipped to plan ahead, reducing some of the stress that comes with uncertainty around medicine shortages. A Pharmacy2U account is not required to use the Medicine Stock Checker, so anyone is able to find out if we have their medicine in stock before registering and placing a request.
In an increasingly digital landscape, it’s another handy tool to help patients take control of their healthcare with greater confidence.
The Medicine Stock Checker has been designed for clarity and ease of use with three simple steps. Find out how it works and give it a try today.
References
Pharmacy2U commissioned Opinium Research, BPC member, to conduct a nationally representative survey of 2,000 consumers aged 18+ between 30th May and 3rd June 2025.