“ONLY ORDER WHAT YOU NEED”

A campaign aimed at reducing unnecessary waste launches today <28 January 2013> across Norfolk.

Local health chiefs have estimated that an incredible £5.2million is lost each year in Norfolk through medicines waste alone.

The campaign, launched by NHS Norfolk, calls upon patients to:

• Only order what they need
• Return their unwanted medicines to their pharmacy for safe disposal
• Take their medicines with them when they go into hospital

Ian Small, Deputy Head of Prescribing, said: “One of the biggest problems is repeat prescriptions, which are ordered and collected by patients but then not used.

“Unwanted medicines in the home may mean that patients are not getting the benefit they could from their prescriptions. It also represents a large amount of waste.”

It is estimated that at any one time £90 million worth of unused prescription medicines are being retained in individual’s homes across the UK. With a few simple considerations, patients could help save the NHS millions each year.

The £5.2million that could potentially be saved in Norfolk and Waveney through better medicine management could be spent on:

• 204 more nurses OR
• 5,200 more drug treatment courses for Alzheimer’s OR
• 343 more drug treatment courses for breast cancer OR
• 1,402 more hip replacements OR
• 5,411 more cataract operations

“We want patients on repeat prescriptions to think about what they are ordering and only ask for what they need and are running out of,” Ian explained. “Any of the medicines can be dispensed when needed at a later date, as once medicines have been dispensed, they cannot be recycled.

“In addition, everyone involved in prescribing, dispensing or reviewing medicines have a responsibility to make sure that patients are involved in making decisions about their treatment and that more medicines are taken as recommended.”

Around half of the UK population do not take or use their medicines as prescribed. This can occur for a number of reasons, including:

• Patients not believing the medicine is necessary
• Possible side effects
• Fitting taking or using medicines into daily routines
• Choosing between medicines if patients’ feel they are taking too many
• Cutting down or stopping medicines they have been taking for a long time.

Health professionals across the region have joined forces in a bid to inform patients about their treatment and to help people understand more about their medicines and the options they have.

Posters and leaflets will be displayed in pharmacies and GP practices to raise awareness of medicine waste among both patients and carers. Further information may also be found on the national website www.medicinewaste.com

The latest report from the Department of Health (Nov 23rd 2010) cited Medicine Usage Reviews as a potential way to reduce waste. In 2011, NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) issued new guidelines to healthcare professionals on how to involve patients in making decisions about prescribed medicines and reduce the number of people not taking or using their medicines correctly.

The campaign will encourage patients to have regular reviews of their medicines and to discuss any issues they may have with their medication with their GP or pharmacist.

Anyone with unwanted medicines can return them to their local pharmacy where they will be disposed of safely.

 

 

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