Graham Jones, a pharmacist from Shrivenham Pharmacy in Oxfordshire, has highlighted the current shortage of 188 common NHS medications as unprecedented, stating it is the worst he has ever encountered. Medications for conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, including apixaban and aspirin, are increasingly difficult to procure. Patients like 84-year-old Gillian-Ann Wordsworth have been left without essential medications, raising concerns about their health. The shortage is attributed to soaring global prices and insufficient government funding, which has led to a fixed NHS reimbursement rate that does not reflect actual costs. As of May 2026, the NHS's price concessions list includes 188 medications, with pharmacies struggling to maintain adequate stock due to price discrepancies. The Department of Health and Social Care has stated that it is working to ensure that pharmacies can continue to obtain necessary medicines, while Community Pharmacy England has indicated that price concessions are implemented to assist pharmacies in managing these challenges.