The Department of Health and Social Care has issued a serious shortage protocol for paracetamol 120mg and 240mg suppositories due to “significant ongoing disruption” to supplies.

The SSP, effective as of January 25, allows pharmacists to substitute one paracetamol 125mg or 250mg suppository in place of every 120mg or 240mg suppository that has been prescribed.

The DHSC has set an expiration date of February 18 for the SSP, but this is subject to change.

Supervising pharmacists are required to advise the patient’s prescriber of any substitutions made using the SSP, and to refer patients back to their prescriber if they believe the patient is not suitably to receive the “marginally stronger medicine,” said the PSNC.