News
HDA Statement on Fuel Shortages
HDA member companies are currently experiencing challenges in accessing fuel like many other critical sectors across the UK.
As you would expect, individual medicines wholesale distribution companies have ongoing business continuity plans to provide resilience to ensure medicine deliveries are maintained to community pharmacies, hospitals and doctors across the country. The sector as a whole has withstood the ravages and demands of Covid-19 and is well-placed to be flexible and is very used to working collaboratively with other supply chain partners.
These arrangements are currently being severely tested, as fuel supplies are not as available as we would like from normal sources. HDA knows that some normal delivery schedules for medicines could be disrupted for most of this week, but every effort will be made to fulfil orders. HDA members are grateful for the patience and understanding being displayed by their customers.
HDA believes successful maintenance of patient supply will be dependent on two critical issues:
- priority access for distributors’ transport fleets to fuel, principally at petrol stations – HDA is in urgent talks with the UK Government on this specific issue
- continued regular deliveries into our warehouses of medicines, that themselves are being impacted by fuel shortages
