Councillor's anxiety 'rocketed' struggling to get penicillin

Asif Khan, Labour's North Watford county councillor, described how he became increasingly anxious while trying to find a chemist stocking Phenoxymethyl Penicillin.

Strep A infections such as scarlet fever and impetigo are treated with antibiotics, with penicillin among the most commonly used.

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It has been reported that many pharmacists in the town have run out of the medicine in the past week, as cases are higher than usual across the UK.

Cllr Khan said: “My 12-year-old daughter was unwell and we managed to get a doctor’s appointment so we took her to the doctor and she was prescribed penicillin.

“We went to the local pharmacy, but they did not have any. So, we went to the bigger pharmacies, but they had also run out.

“I was thinking ‘what’s going on?’.

Like many parents with ill children, it's been a struggle this week, with both my ones catching the bug going around.

My 12 year old daughter was quite poorly with a sore throat & high temperature. She was prescribed Phenoxymethyl Penicillin by the doctor who 1/8

— CllrAsifK💙 (@AKatWatford) December 9, 2022

The councillor said he had to drive to five pharmacies before managing to pick up the prescription, even then not getting enough for the full course prescribed.

“My anxiety was rocketing. I was wondering if this was really happening, it’s a very common medicine,” he added.

“I felt a bit angry that this could be happening and then so relieved when I got it.

“The shortage is real. Its not right and it’s heart-breaking for families because there is lots of anxiety about this.

Cllr Khan said he spoke to Hertfordshire's Director of Public Health Jim McManus afterwards, who he responded “fantastically”, confirming he is determined to get to the bottom of the supply issue.

Councillor Asif Khan (Image: Asif Khan)

According to The Guardian pharmacists are reporting UK-wide shortages of the antibiotics used to treat strep A.

However, health secretary Steve Barclay told BBC Breakfast that “manufacturers have said they don't have concern in terms of supply at the moment”.

Instead “good levels” of supply reportedly need to be moved from manufacturers to wholesalers due to what the Healthcare Distribution Association has labelled “extreme demand”.

A number of Watford pharmacies were contacted for comment.

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