The number of medicines prescribed in the NHS is rising, and so is the amount of
medicines that go to waste. It is estimated that £300 million of medicines go unused
every year in the UK.
This March, NHS London and London’s five ICBs are teaming up to launch a campaign
to help the public only order the medicines they need – and reduce waste.
Only ordering what you need:
– is safer for you, as medicines can go out of date if kept for too long.
– helps prevent medicine shortages, making medicines available for
everyone.
– helps reduce waste and is better for the environment. If you do have any
unused medicines at home, you can return them to your local pharmacy
for safe disposal.
It might feel like a small thing, but it genuinely makes a big difference. Across the NHS,
unused medicines cost around £300 million every year. Ordering only what you need
helps reduce this waste and helps prevent shortages for others who rely on the same
medicines.