£15million worth of prescribed medicines are wasted in Scotland each year and over £1million worth of medicines are wasted in Lanarkshire alone. A 10 percent reduction in medicines wasted in Lanarkshire would produce savings that could pay for 15 coronary bypass operations or 150 cataract operations
NHS Lanarkshire has launched a campaign urging the public to help them reduce the number of wasted prescriptions. A 10 percent reduction in medicines wasted in Lanarkshire would produce savings that could pay for 15 coronary bypass operations or 150 cataract operations.
You can help to reduce prescription wastage in the following ways:
- Tell your GP practice if you no longer require a repeat prescription and it continues to be issued.
- Inform your GP practice if you are being prescribed the wrong amount of medication.
- Only order the medicines that you need and do not hoard medicines at home.
Unused medicines are regularly returned to community pharmacies, but these medicines cannot be reused and must be destroyed.