NHS asks residents to review repeat prescriptions
NHS HAMPSHIRE & ISLE OF WIGHT have urged residents across the region to review their repeat prescriptions and only order the medication they need; this plea coming as the organisation announced a new medicines wastage campaign to mark ‘World Pharmacists Day’ earlier this week.
Data shows that approximately 150,000 people in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have repeat prescriptions for multiple medications every month and it is estimated that 2.5 million repeat prescription items are wasted unnecessarily each year. This often occurs when asking for more of one medication and people send off the entire list in error; although GPs and pharmacists have been asked to be more alert when fulfilling medicine requests.
A new NHS campaign has been launched regionally with Chief Pharmacist Neil Hardy saying in a statement published on Wednesday: “We are asking you to take simple steps to check your cupboards and see what medications you need before ordering your repeat prescriptions.”
“We want people to have the right medicine and the right care, while reducing the amount of medicine waste. Unused medicines expire and might not work as intended, meaning your care might be comprised if you don’t check what medication you have.”
“We know that ordering unnecessary medications can increase the risk of medication shortages in our pharmacies and we want to make sure that essential medications are available to everyone who needs them. Your help in reducing the amount of medication that is unnecessarily wasted each year is greatly appreciated.”
Pharmacies across the region are furthermore able to treat seven conditions alongside other minor illness advice and over the counter medicines. These are listed as shingles, sore throats, infected insect bites, earaches, sinusitis, impetigo and uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI); whilst more details about the Pharmacy First scheme can be found here.
Residents can return all unused or out of date medicines to their local pharmacy for safe disposal; whilst they can speak to their pharmacy team if they have any questions about prescriptions or need support. Further information about the campaign can be found via the NHS Hampshire & Isle of Wight Medicines Waste webpage.
PICTURED BY PIXABAY: Residents have been asked to review their repeat prescriptions before ordering under new campaign; the NHS hoping this will reduce ‘medicine wastage’.
