The stockpiling of medicines in preparation for a no-deal Brexit is putting pressure on the supply chain and causing shortages of generic medicines, according to Simon Dukes, chief executive of the PSNC. The increased demand has in turn led to fluctuating prices, additional costs that will have to be picked up by the NHS.

Speaking to BBC’s 5 Live Breakfast show, Dukes said: "We have supply shortages. They can be for a number of reasons – they can be because of manufacturing problems or transportation issues, or just an increased demand. Where you have those supply shortages, concerns around a ‘no deal’ Brexit are likely to exacerbate those ongoing issues.

"We have worked very closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and fully support what they and the Secretary of State are doing to ensure that all patients get their medicines during the course of the next few months.

"What we are seeing anecdotally is that although the Secretary of State has been very clear and issued a letter to industry that six weeks’ supply should be stockpiled by the manufacturers, what we are seeing is that other stockpiling is happening in other parts of the supply chain, and that may well be exacerbating some of the supply issues."

The strain on the supply chain has come in response to the government’s request that drugmakers stockpile six weeks’ worth of medicines in preparation for a no-deal crash out of the European Union.