UK Shortage Index
How bad are UK medicine shortages right now?
A single, continuously-updated, source-linked picture of the UK medicines supply — free to read, quote and link. Every figure below traces to an official notification or Serious Shortage Protocol. Last checked 14 Jul 2026.
Tracked notices
85
in the current archive
SSPs in force
2
of 76 on record since 20 Oct 2020
Notices this year
20
MSNs & safety alerts in 2026
Changes this month
7
issues, updates & extensions
Longest-running Serious Shortage Protocols
The protocols that have been in force longest — a measure of the shortages the NHS has been managing for the greatest span.
| Protocol | In force for | Valid from | Current expiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSP061 | 2.4 yrs | 24 May 2024 | 02 Oct 2026 |
| SSP060 | 2.2 yrs | 24 May 2024 | 07 Aug 2026 |
| SSP025 | 162 days | 19 May 2022 | 28 Oct 2022 |
| SSP024 | 162 days | 19 May 2022 | 28 Oct 2022 |
| SSP075 | 133 days | 06 Sept 2024 | 17 Jan 2025 |
Active shortage notices by severity tier
| Tier | Meaning | Tracked notices |
|---|---|---|
| — | Tier not stated | 7 |
| Tier 2 | Medium impact | 74 |
| Tier 3 | High impact | 4 |
How to cite the UK Shortage Index
Free to quote and link. Please cite as: “UK Shortage Index, ShortageSignal (shortagesignal.co.uk), by Doctor Data Ltd, accessed 14 Jul 2026.” Every figure links to its source document, and the full method is on the methodology page. Journalists and researchers: see the press kit, or pull the numbers via the open API. Data updates twice daily.