Ramipril 1.25mg capsules: SSP087 is listed to end on 30 October
16 October 2026
The NHSBSA Serious Shortage Protocol page lists SSP087, for ramipril 1.25mg capsules, as running from 22 April 2026 to 30 October 2026. The page shows it as active and records an amendment on 23 July 2026. As of 16 October the listed end date is two weeks away.
What sits beside it
Medicine Supply Notification MSN/2026/043, issued on 7 September 2026, is a Tier 2, medium impact notice that covers ramipril 1.25mg, 2.5mg, 5mg and 10mg capsules. It says they are in limited supply until the end of October 2026. It also advises against routine switching to other ACE inhibitors and ARBs, because they are used far less than ramipril and a switch could strain other supply chains. Our note on the notification has the detail.
What an end date means for an SSP
An SSP is valid only for a limited period. The NHSBSA page tells contractors to check the table for the latest information on each protocol's validity, "as they can change". The text of the protocol itself states that pharmacists "must ensure that it is only used within its authorised dates and within the criteria set out within the SSP", that they must check they are using the current version, and that amendments may become necessary before the published expiry date.
SSP087 is already an example. It started on 22 April and has been amended since, which is why the end date on the page is the one to use. Our note on the lansoprazole orodispersible protocols explains what an SSP is and how a protocol with an end date is read.
Before 30 October
The NHSBSA guidance says that once a supply has been made under an SSP, the original prescription is no longer valid for further dispensing. Before the end date, confirm on the NHSBSA page that SSP087 is still listed as active and still runs to 30 October, and replace any printed copy with the current version.
Whether anything follows on 30 October is for DHSC and NHSBSA to announce. The page may change before then, and may extend or withdraw the protocol.