Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of allowing prescriptions to be amended when there is a shortage of a hormone replacement therapy medication.

The Department has issued Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) which allow pharmacists to substitute a specified alternative hormone replacement therapy (HRT) product if the prescribed product is not available. There are currently 14 SSPs in place for five HRT medicines, to manage and mitigate medicine supply issues. Enabling the supply of an alternative product in accordance with an SSP is a safe, effective way to ensure HRT continues to be available.