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Nearly 90 per cent of pharmacies in the UK surveyed by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) were unable to supply patients with aspirin over a one-week period this month.

The trade body’s survey of 540 members revealed patients needing dispersible aspirin, such as those with a history of strokes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease and diabetes, were unable to get the product in 86 per cent of pharmacies between January 13 and 20.

Pharmacies said they have had to “tightly” ration supplies of aspirin for patients with the most acute heart conditions and people needing emergency prescriptions. Pharmacies also said they had stopped making aspirin available over the counter.

The survey’s findings prompted the NPA to urge Labour to “accelerate plans to scrap dangerous and antiquated legislation” preventing pharmacists from substituting a prescription medicine for a safe alternative when a drug is out of stock.

“The current rules, introduced in 1968, forbid pharmacists from doing things such as switching a prescription from tablets to capsules or even the flavour of liquid medication,” the NPA said.

It said its analysis showed the price of a packet of aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets had increased in the last two months from 18p to £3.90 because of shortages. The NPA insisted pharmacies were losing £1.72 each time they dispensed a pack because the NHS was only reimbursing them £2.18.

Last week, pharmacy contractor Ashley Cohen, who sits on the NPA board, said pharmacies in England should stop dispensing medicines they are making a loss on until the Government fixes a “broken” reimbursement system.

NPA chair Olivier Picard said it was “madness” that patients were being sent back to their GPs to get their prescription changed “when a safe alternative is in stock”.

“It risks a patient either delaying taking vital medication or forgoing it altogether, which poses a clear risk to patient safety,” he said.

“We've long called for pharmacists to be able to make substitutions where a medicine is not in stock and it is safe to supply an alternative. The status quo is not only frustrating for patients, it is also dangerous.”