Yorkshire and Humber PCTs target medicines wastage
Promotional materials have been sent to pharmacies |
A new campaign to raise awareness about medicines wastage is advising people to discuss their medicines with a pharmacist or GP on a regular basis.
Launched last week by Yorkshire and Humber NHS, the campaign aims to
make people think about the medicines they are ordering and if they are
really required. Nine PCTs are rolling out the campaign, which points
out that “unused prescription medicines cost South Yorkshire NHS
over £10m every year”.
Sarah Alton, the organisation’s pharmacy adviser and campaign co-ordinator,
told The Journal that this is the first time a campaign to target the
wasting of medicines has been undertaken on such a scale over such a
wide area, both in primary and secondary care.
“Promotion materials have been distributed throughout pharmacies
and GP surgeries in South Yorkshire as well as in teaching hospitals,” she
said. “We are also asking the PCTs to distribute [them to] libraries
and community centres.” A website has also been launched (www.medicinewaste.com).
Ms Alton explained that there are two main aims for the campaign: educating
people about the importance of not wasting medicines; and encouraging
people to return unused medicines to the pharmacy, which provides an
opportunity for pharmacists to speak with patients about their medicines. |
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