ADHD Medication Shortage - UK Resources
The UK is suffering an unprecedented shortage of ADHD medication - getting medication is almost impossible for many, while some have been lucky and found pockets or sporadic prescriptions.
Below, I’ve stuck some resources that I’ve found handy while hunting for medication over the past few months - but please note I’m biased here towards Methylphenidate-based medication, as I couldn’t tolerate Elvanse/Lisdexamfetamine.
Finding stock.
Ben Farmer (I think that’s his name) on Reddit has built a very handy stock checker that works with Boots stores’ stock API here:
https://www.adhd.directory/stock-checker
You can also check the official stock checker here incase you’re getting API limit errors from the unofficial one:
Boots pharmacy | Online Prescription stock checker
Getting a different medication.
Most ADHD medications are the same drug (i.e. Methylphenidate), but have a different formulation or time release mechanism.
This means that some other medications despite being a different drug, will be tolerated differently.
I found a great PDF on the differences and a handy guide for picking alternatives, if you’re on a methylphenidate based prescription:
handyfactsheetmethylphenidateswitchinguk
Asking someone else to collect your medication from a further-away location for you.
As ADHD medications are controlled drugs, if you ask someone you know to collect your medication from a pharmacy close to them or their place of work, you might run into some issues with the collection.
The Community Pharmacy England site states:
When a Schedule 2 CD is collected from a pharmacy, legislation states that the pharmacist must ascertain whether the person collecting is the patient, patient’s representative or healthcare professional. In the case of Schedule 2 CD prescriptions (for example, methadone), the person may, if not already known to the pharmacist, be asked to present some form of identification. If the person collecting the Schedule 2 CD is a healthcare professional acting in their professional capacity on behalf of the patient, the pharmacist must ask for identification and obtain evidence of the name, address and professional registration number of the healthcare professional. Note that the requirements for signing the prescription and identification on collection apply to instalment prescriptions only on the first occasion that the patient presents. Where the person collecting the CDs refuses to provide their details (e.g. the name to record in the PMR or does not sign the reverse of the form/token), a pharmacist, using their professional discretion, may still supply the CDs.
Still can't get them? Don't stop trying!
My own cousin who is a dispensing pharmacist has told me that medication will come in sporadically, and i've noticed this as well.
You might feel like you're annoying some pharmacies by calling so often, but they will understand as long as you're respectful and courteous.