From Mr D. B. Sykes, MRPharmS
SIR,—I have been on the register for nearly 40 years and this is the first time I have had the inclination to write to The Journal. The Government is trying to give us a National Health Service for the 21st century but the wastage by general practitioners is horrific. Every week we dispose of bins full of drugs returned unused by patients.
If general practitioners were to tighten up on their prescribing habits - for example, today we had a patient of 86 given 1,180 tablets to last her three months - no wastage, or very little wastage, would occur.
When will doctors cotton on to the fact that a patient's trip to the surgery for a repeat prescription is not always because he or she needs medicines. Most of the time it is for social reasons: he or she meets people. The surgery is warm and it gives an excuse to get out of the house. As soon as the patient gets the medicine from the pharmacy - another social call - it is put in the cupboard to join the rest, only to be disturbed after death when the family clears out the house.
If pressure were brought to bear on doctors regarding actually seeing the patient, a lot of wastage of drugs would be avoided and perhaps prescription numbers would rise?
Also think of the time saved in not having to dispose of unwanted drugs.
David Sykes
Haywards Heath, Sussex