An urgent warning has been issued to anyone who takes aspirin, codeine or paracetamol as NHS bosses say the nation could be days away from running out of common drugs due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Sir Jim Mackey, the head of NHS England, claimed health bosses are "really worried" about supplies because deliveries have been affected by iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Following the beginning of the war, health officials raised concerns about the potential impact the conflict could have on existing medical shortages.

The warning comes after UK pharmacies have already faced stock struggles of painkiller medication including aspirin, codeine and paracetamol.

As well as painkiller tablets, antidepressants and HRT have also faced stock issues alongside cancer medications, including Efudix, a chemotherapy cream.

Earlier this month, pharmacy leaders and manufacturers sounded the alarm over the disruption and potential impact on existing medicine shortages.

Sir Jim said on a phone interview with LBC Radio: “We are really worried about this.

“We’ve already had a couple of supply shocks in the last 12 to 18 months of key supplies.”

He added that there is a team in place to “focus on where the risks might be through the supply chains”.

However, when probed what he was concerned would run low, he said: “Well, everything, honestly – everything’s at risk.”

He added: “In every area, we’ve got enough to get through for a reasonable period… so generally, a few weeks.

“Because things perish and it costs money to store and various other things go out of out of use, you can’t hold years and years of supply, generally dependent on the product we keep a reasonable period.

“Some of that is held centrally, some held locally.”

Sir Jim responded to a question whether it would be "weeks worth of supply": “Yeah, it could be days for some products”.

The continued blockade of the strait has already caused concern for fuel supply and costs, with the latest deliveries expected to arrive in the UK on April 10.

Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association said: “We’re not currently seeing shortages of medicine directly linked to the conflict in the Middle East, but pharmacies are seeing disturbing spikes in prices which can be an early indicator of challenges.

“The Department of Health have issued unprecedented numbers of price concessions designed to cope with price surges, which are likely exacerbated by this current situation.

“The NHS has driven down the price of medicines over many years, which leaves the UK vulnerable in a global market and contributes to the rising problem of medicine shortages, which are a daily reality for many years for our members.

“Pharmacies will always do everything they can to ensure patients get the medicines they need but they must do this in an increasingly competitive global market.

“The Government needs to ensure both that physical supply routes are protected during this conflict but also ensure that the NHS is providing sufficient funding to ensure that Britain is not left behind in the international market at a time when both supply and demand for medicines are very challenging.”

Dr Leyla Hannbeck, the Chief Executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, also said: “Today’s warning from the CEO of NHS England, Sir Jim Mackey, reinforces what we have been saying for some time.

“Medicine shortages pose a serious and growing threat to patients across the UK, and the Government must act now to ensure people are not left without the vital treatments they depend on.

“The Government must move at pace by immediately adding the 150 most at-risk medicines to the export ban list, appointing a medicines shortages Tsar to drive action across government, creating a national Critical Medicines List to protect essential treatments, and formally recognising medicines shortages as a national security risk.

“Pharmacies will continue to do everything possible to shield patients from the worst effects of these shortages.

“But without urgent and meaningful support from the Government, there is only so much we can do with our hands tied behind our backs.”

A Government spokesperson reiterated that processes are in place to manage disruption across the health and social care sector and supply of medication is not currently at threat.