Order what you need

It is estimated that unused medicines cost the NHS around £300 million every year, with an estimated £110 million worth of medicine returned to pharmacies, £90 million worth of unused prescriptions being stored in homes and £50 million worth of medicines disposed of by Care Homes.

A new campaign has been launched by the NHS in Northamptonshire encouraging people not to stockpile medicines and “Only Order What You Need” from their repeat prescriptions to reduce waste.

Anne-Marie King, Chief Officer, Community Pharmacy BLMK and Northamptonshire said: “We are asking local people across Northamptonshire who have regular repeat prescriptions to only order what they need.

“Over-ordering not only has a financial burden on the NHS but also has a knock-on effect on drug supply and environmental pollution. Once dispensed, unused or unwanted medication cannot be returned or reused, they must be destroyed through incineration.

“Please be assured that if you don’t order prescribed medication one month because you don’t need it, you will still be able to order it again in the future when you do. But by only ordering what you need, you will not only be helping the local NHS to save vital funds and ensuring medicines are available to those who need them most, but you will also be helping the environment.”

Tips for managing your medication safely and ordering responsibly include:

• Before making an order for repeat medication, gather all your medication and check how much you have and if it’s still in date. Then “Only Order What You Need”.
• Medication should be stored in an appropriate place which is inaccessible to children and pets and away from extreme temperatures.
• Consider storing all your medication in one place at home, so you can easily see what you have left and what you need.
• Try to avoid opening multiple packets of the same medication. This will help you keep a track of what you’ve taken and what you have left.
• Make a note on your calendar about two weeks before your prescription due date to go through your medication and see what is left. You can then order what you need.

Unused or out of date medicines can be returned to your pharmacy for safe disposal, please don’t put them in the household waste or down the sink or toilet. This will help make sure waste medicines don’t pollute our rivers and seas.

People collecting a repeat prescription are also being reminded to check their order carefully before leaving the pharmacy to help reduce waste and save money.

Once a person leaves a pharmacy, their medicines cannot be used by anyone else, even if they are unopened. Any returned medicines must be destroyed.