Many people have been left without medication since September and will likely remain unable to access medication until Spring 2024.
1. That this Council notes that:
- a) In September 2023, the NHS issued a National Patient Safety Alert (NatPSA) about the shortage of certain medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
- b) The shortage of medication has been caused by multiple factors, including changes to manufacturers, reduced production of some medications, delays in distribution, Brexit red-tape, and increased demands on stocks of medication with rapid rises in the number of ADHD diagnoses made.
- c) ADHD is a condition that affects people's day to day lives in many different ways. People with ADHD can be inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive, or a combination of both. Traits include restlessness, difficulties with organisation and concentration, and a tendency to act on impulse.
- d) ADHD can be a serious and impairing condition that affects children, young people, and adults across Milton Keynes.
- e) Although other medication remains available, they may not be suitable for everyone and the availability of this medication is not enough to meet the demands created by the shortage.
- f) The ADHD Foundation revealed that just over 200,000 (10 per cent) of an estimated 2 million UK citizens with the condition are receiving medication.
- g) For people with ADHD stopping their medication can lead to withdrawal symptoms, leaving them feeling jittery.
- h) Many people are used to managing their ADHD traits with medication, thereby reducing the impact ADHD can have on their educational/professional life, relationships, and finances. Without this medication, people are left to navigate modern life which is geared towards neurotypical people, and this has the potential to negatively impact the day to day lives of people with ADHD in many different ways.
- i) Many people have been left without medication since September and will likely remain unable to access medication until Spring 2024.
2. This Council believes that:
- a) The severe shortage of medication is causing stress and worry among children, young people, and adults diagnosed with ADHD across the city.
- b) ADHD medication is a lifeline for many, and without access to medication it can have a significant impact on their everyday lives, for children and young people this could mean struggling to attend or stay focused at school, and for adults struggling at work and with their everyday routines such as managing household chores, sleeping, and eating. The shortage is also negatively impacting people’s mental and physical health.
- c) People in Milton Keynes with ADHD are being let down and are being left stranded without support, with some only finding out there is a shortage of their medication when their pharmacy can no longer supply it.
3. That this Council resolves to:
- a) Ask the Chief Executive of the City Council to write to the Department of Health and Social Care and the city’s MPs to demand they hold a public inquiry into the shortage of ADHD medication.
- b) Call on residents across the city to sign the online petition demanding the Government hold a public inquiry into the shortage of ADHD medication