What a waste!

Date published: 19 July 2010

Wasted medicines are costing the local NHS up to £1 million every year.

Sometimes, patients or carers with repeat prescriptions get more medicines than they really need and stockpile them at home. This is a growing problem for the NHS that wastes huge quantities of medicines and public monies.

Once prescription medicines have been dispensed from a pharmacy they cannot be recycled, even if they are unopened. This is costing NHS Bury up to £1 million every year:

This could pay for: 

30 community nurses 

200 hip replacements 

140 heart by-pass operations 

1400 cataract operations 

180 knee replacements

In a bid to curb this unnecessary waste, NHS Bury is appealing to patients to only order what they need, so that vital NHS monies can be invested elsewhere. NHS Bury has also been getting the backing of local GPs and Pharmacists.

The campaign entitled ‘wasted medicines waste money’ aims to highlight the problem and let patients know what they can do to help.

Susan Storey for NHS Bury’s Medicines Management Team said: “There are a number of ways patients can help to reduce medicine wastage. We are asking patients only to request the medicines they need and are running out of when they order a repeat prescription. It’s also important that patients talk to their GP or pharmacist if they have stopped taking any of their medicines and discuss with them their medication requirements on a regular basis.”

Sharon Fletcher, Pharmacist Manager for Cohen’s Pharmacy in Tottington added: “Our pharmacy is not unique in the amount of wasted medicines that are brought in by local people every single week, it really is such a waste and there is nothing we can do with the medicines except arrange for them to be destroyed safely. Patients can really do their bit to reduce the amount of wasted medicines by helping out with this campaign, the simplest way to do this is to only order what you need. If any patients do have medicines that they no longer need, then drop them off at your local pharmacy where arrangements can be made to dispose of them safely.”

The key messages of the ‘wasted medicines waste money’ campaign are:

Wasted medicines waste money, which could be spent elsewhere
Unused medicines cannot be recycled
Let your GP or Pharmacist know if you've stopped taking any of your medicines
Discuss your medication with your Pharmacist or GP on a regular basis
Check what medicines you still have at home before re-ordering
Think carefully before ticking all the boxes on your repeat prescription forms and only tick those you really need
If your pharmacy requests your prescription from your doctor on your behalf, ensure you let them know which items you need just before your next prescription is due
If you don't need the medicine now - don't order it! If you need the medicine in the future you can still request it

If you need to go into hospital, please take all your prescription medicines with you.