NHS chief says he's 'really worried' about supply chain shocks due to Iran war
It comes amid soaring fuel prices and fears of supply shortages caused by the US and Israel's war on Iran
The head of NHS England has told LBC he is "really worried" about vital medical supplies as the Iran war continues to put pressure on global trade.
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CEO of NHS England, Sir Jim Mackey, said he is "really worried" about the consequences of the Iran war, as fuel prices soar and fears of limited supplies grow.
He told LBC's Nick Ferrari: "We are really worried about this.
"We've already had a couple of supply shocks in the last 12, 18 months or so of key supplies."
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He added that while the NHS has enough of some supplies to last weeks or even years, others could run out in a matter of days if there was a global supply chain shock.
Asked what supplies were at risk, he said: “Well, everything, honestly – everything’s at risk.”
He added that “the supply chain is very international” and “we import a lot of medicines, but it’s an international system”.
“In every area we have enough to get through a reasonable period, generally a few weeks, but because things perish, and cost money to store, and various other things go out of use, you can’t hold years and years of supply.
“So generally, depending on the product, we keep a reasonable product, some of that is held centrally.”
"It could be days for some products".
The UK imports around 75% of its medicine and with the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed, it may become impossible to deliver some products.
Sir Jim added it is difficult for the NHS to have years' worth of supplies stocked up because many medicines "go off."
He said: “In every area, we've got enough to get through for a reasonable period.
“So generally a few weeks.
“Because things perish and it costs money to store and various other things go out of use, you can't hold years and years of supply.
“So generally, depending on the product, we keep a reasonable period and some of that's held centrally and locally.”
It comes after reports Britain is “a few weeks away” from shortages of medicines ranging from painkillers to cancer treatments if the war with Iran continues.
The conflict in the Middle East has already disrupted supplies of crucial raw materials, including oil, gas, fertiliser and helium, and health products could be next.
Mark Samuels, chief executive of Medicines UK, which represents manufacturers of generic drugs that make up 85% of medicines used by the NHS, warned shortages could emerge within weeks if the conflict drags on.
“We’re not in a crisis currently but it’s still a serious situation," he told the Guardian.
Mr Samuels said distributors typically hold six to eight weeks’ worth of stock to prevent shortfalls, while suppliers to hospitals in England are required to keep eight weeks’ supply.
David Weeks, director of supply chain risk management at analytics group Moody’s, said: “It’s the perfect storm.
"We have the conflict in the Gulf that caused the Strait of Hormuz to shut down, and India is known as the pharmacy of the world.
"They produce a lot of the generic drugs and APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients).
"With the geopolitical situation, it’s harder and harder to get those out.”
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since the US-Israel war on Iran began four weeks ago – upending global oil supplies and sending energy prices soaring.
More than 20 ships have been attacked across the region during the conflict to date.
Pharmaceutical firms have also been forced to reroute shipments after disruption at airports in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi.
Some are now switching to sea freight, lengthening delivery times.
During the Covid pandemic, Britain and other countries saw shortages of paracetamol and other painkillers as manufacturers in India struggled to meet surging demand.
India produces 60% of the world’s generic medicines and half of US demand.
The UK manufactures about a quarter of its medicines domestically, while around a third are imported from India, with another significant share coming from the EU.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "There are currently no shortages of medical products or medicines reported as a result of conflict in the Middle East.
"We are working closely with industry partners to help ensure the continued supply of medical products, and we actively monitor emerging threats to supply resilience.
"There are established processes in place to manage disruption across the health and social care sector, including holding significant buffer stocks and the procurement of alternative products where necessary.”