Tuesday and Thursday were nightmare days at work. At least today was not as bad as Tuesday, but on Tuesday, we had antibiotics to treat Strep A. The government have said that there is no shortage of antibiotics, and technically they are right. But there is a shortage of the correct forms of antibiotics needed to treat this. On Tuesday I dealt with one parent who was not able to get penicillin in liquid form. Today, as there is a shortage of amoxicillin which was existed before this public health crisis, I have had to prescribe capsules which had to be broken up so that children could get the treatment they need. The erythromycin liquid that I prescribed on Tuesday was hard to find today as is liquid penicillin. We do have these antibiotics in other forms (tablets and intravenous forms) so when Conservative politicians say that there is no shortage of antibiotics, they are right. But tell that to a parent who cannot find the liquid forms of antibiotics that their child needs.
