Did you know?
Unused medicines cost the health service in Forth Valley £5 million a year. This is the equivalent of 800 hip replacements or 600 heart bypass operations so please order only the medicines you require.
The video shown below shows how we can reduce the waste on repeat prescriptions, wasted medication impacts on our NHS services.
We all have a responsibility to use medicines responsibly.
You can help reduce medicines waste by:
- Checking what medicines you still have at home before ordering your prescription
- Only ticking the boxes on your repeat prescription forms for medicines you really need
- If you use the electronic prescription service, telling your pharmacist if they give you medicines you’re no longer using or already have enough of at home
- Telling your GP or pharmacist if you’ve stopped taking any medicines, so they can be removed from your repeat list
- Not stockpiling medicines
If you need more medicine in the future you can still request it. Stockpiling medicines increases the risk for children and others that may accidentally take them. Unused medicines cannot be recycled and issued again even if they have never been opened.
You can dispose of medication at local pharmacies such as – Right Medicine, Strathallan Pharmacy, Cornton Pharmacy, Lloyd’s Bridge of Allan Pharmacy, Tesco Pharmacy, Sainsbury’s Pharmacy and Boots Pharmacy Thistle Centre.
Please be aware – many basic medications can be bought over-the-counter at your local pharmacy, saving not only the NHS money, but also your own time (getting a prescription, appointment). For more information, please visit the NHS over-the-counter website guide.