Parents prescribed adult pills to crush for sick children due to shortages of liquid antibiotics in Milton Keynes

A huge surge in infections resulting from flu, Covid and scarlet fever is resulting in shortages of vital antibiotic drugs in Milton Keynes and elsewhere.

Some local pharmacies have completely run out of stock on occasions over the past few weeks and even the hospital’s own pharmacy has struggled.

One parent told the Citizen how she took her small child to A&E showing symptoms of Strep A, which can prove serious without swift treatment with antibiotics.

"The hospital was great, but they said they’d completely run out of children’s antibiotic medicine.

"Instead of the liquid stuff, we were given pills and told the precise dosage to crush up and give in food or juice… It was really difficult to do this with a small child but we were just grateful to have any antibiotics at all.”

Other people in MK have described how they were forced to go on a “wild goose chase” around local pharmacies after being given a prescription for antibiotics.

"I went to five different places and they had all completely run out. It’s really worrying,” said one.

A spokesperson for Milton Keynes University Hospital told the Citizen: “We have experienced occasional shortages of some antibiotics, including antibiotics that are reconstituted into liquid form to be given to children or those who cannot tolerate tablets. These temporary shortages have been experienced across the country.

"When this happens, we dispense an appropriate alternative antibiotic to ensure prompt treatment. In line with recently updated national guidance, and on rare occasions, we have dispensed antibiotics in tablet form to children who would usually receive it as a liquid which can then be crushed to ensure they receive the right medication to treat their illness.”

A spokesperson for Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK), which brings together all local NHS services, said: “Due to increased demand for antibiotics, there are intermittent stock shortages at pharmacies.

“If you have been prescribed antibiotics and there is no availability at your local pharmacy, the pharmacy staff may be able to advise you of another local pharmacy that has these antibiotics in stock.”

Meanwhile MK Hospital’s A&E is still struggling with unprecedented high numbers of patients, particularly people with respiratory infections.