Reducing medicines waste

Image of a repeat prescription. Text "Only order the items you need. If you do not need the item this time you can wait and tick it next time."

Around 2.1 million medicine items are wasted in Lincolnshire each year. This can cause harm to patients and costs our Lincolnshire NHS £15.2 million each year. Unused repeat prescriptions contribute to this problem, leading to unnecessary medicine waste and affecting drug supply.

We need your help to reduce this waste.

Why does this happen?

  • Medicines are either over prescribed or over ordered.
    • This can mean that too much medicine is being taken, which is a risk for the person taking it.
  • Stock piling
    • This means that medicines that aren’t needed stay in cupboards and may go out of date.
    • This is a risk for the person taking it.
  • Prescriptions aren’t always checked when they are received.
    • Once they leave the pharmacy, they cannot be reused.

Why is this important?

  • Stay Well
    • Expired medicines may not be effective, which could affect your health.
    • Stockpiling medicines makes drug shortages worse.
  • Stay Safe
    • Stockpiles of medicines kept at home can be dangerous for children and pets.
    • Medicines are only prescribed for you, and for safety’s sake should not be shared with anyone else.
  • Stay Green
    • Returning unused medicines at your local pharmacy helps stop waste from polluting rivers and seas.
    • Ordering only what you need helps the environment, as medicines taken away from the pharmacy can’t be reused or recycled.
  • Save NHS money
    • By only ordering what you need can save the NHS £15.2 million, this money saved can be spent on other vital NHS services.

What we can do

The good news is there is a lot we can do to tackle medicines waste, and everyone can play a part.

Thank you for helping your community to reduce medicine waste.

Only order what you need

Check your repeat prescriptions before reordering and only request the medicines you need. You can always order more later if required, helping to reduce medicine waste and avoid unnecessary unused medicine disposal.

This video was made by the NHS in Fife and explains why reducing medicine waste is so important.

Open your prescription bag

Check your prescription bag before leaving the pharmacy to make sure that you only have what you need and that there’s nothing extra in there.

If you return an item before you leave the pharmacy, the medicines can be reused.

Be prepared when going into hospital

Take your medicines to the hospital to avoid duplicates and speed up your care.

Before leaving, check for changes to your medicines and take home what’s correct.

Reduce waste with a conversation

Tell your pharmacy team if you’ve stopped taking any medicines or if they aren’t right for you.

This is not a problem, it means your team will be able to improve your healthcare.

Unused or out of date medicines can be returned to your pharmacy for safe disposal.