The Good Law Project has said it has been granted an urgent hearing later this month following the high court’s decision to refuse it permission to apply for a judicial review of the government’s serious shortage protocols (SSP).

The SSP, which came into force on February 9, allows pharmacists to dispense a therapeutic equivalent or generic equivalent of a medicine without talking to the patient’s GP in the event of a shortage.

Pharmacists are also able to dispense a reduced quantity of a medicine or an alternative dosage form to avert what could be a significant drugs shortage as the terms of Brexit continue to be shrouded in uncertainty.

The Good Law Project, who believe the SSP was pushed through hurriedly without a proper consultation with patient and clinical groups, launched judicial review proceedings on February 26 against the legality of the measures.

The high court refused permission to apply for a judicial review on Friday. The Good Law Project, however, said an urgent hearing has been scheduled for March 26 as it tries to force through the judicial review.

“We have been granted an urgent hearing in our judicial review challenge to the lawfulness of government's serious shortage protocols for dealing with medicine shortages in the event of No Deal on 26 March 2019,” it said on Twitter.