Hospitals across England are reporting shortages of several widely used medicines, including aspirin, co-codamol and ramipril, according to new information obtained from NHS trusts.

The findings are based on Freedom of Information requests sent to 184 NHS trusts, with 60 providing responses. Among the responding trusts, aspirin shortages were reported by around 62%, while some trusts also experienced difficulties obtaining co-codamol and ramipril.

The medicines affected have different clinical uses. Aspirin is used for pain relief and in cardiovascular care, co-codamol is a painkiller, and ramipril is commonly prescribed for high blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions.

Some NHS organisations reported shortages lasting several months. The information highlights continuing pressures on medicine supply chains, with manufacturing problems, international disruptions and trade-related pressures cited among factors affecting availability.

The Department of Health and Social Care said it is working with suppliers to address medicine shortages and has issued shortage protocols where necessary. The extent of shortages can vary between individual NHS trusts and medicines.

The latest figures have renewed attention on the resilience and transparency of NHS medicine supply chains, particularly for commonly prescribed drugs used across hospitals and community healthcare services.