Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what stocks of (a) amoxicillin and (b) penicillin were held as of 1 December 2022.

Amoxicillin is available in a range of formulations including capsules and oral suspension. Phenoxymethylpenicillin is available as oral suspension in two strengths and also as tablets. There has been a particularly sharp increase in demand recently which means some pharmacies are having difficulties obtaining some medicines.

We are taking decisive action to address temporary supply issues with some antibiotics that can be used to treat Strep A and to improve access to these medicines by continuing to work with manufacturers and wholesalers to speed up deliveries, bring forward stock they have to help ensure it gets to where it is needed and to boost supply to meet demand as quickly as possible.

Further, Serious Shortage Protocols have been issued across the United Kingdom for penicillin medicines, which will help mitigate local supply issues and allow pharmacists to supply alternative forms of the medicine, or alternative antibiotics, if they don’t have the specific product stated on the prescription.