On World Pharmacists Day, pharmacists and GPs across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are urging people to only order the medication they need from their repeat prescriptions.
Around 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.
NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight have launched a new campaign asking people to check their order before they put in their repeat prescription request to help reduce waste and keep people safe.
Neil Hardy, Chief Pharmacist at NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight said: “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.”
Along with minor illness advice and over the counter medicines, pharmacies in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are now able to treat the following seven conditions: shingles, sore throats, infected insect bites, earaches, sinusitis, impetigo and uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI).
Further information about the Pharmacy First scheme in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight can be found here: Treatment straight from your pharmacy
Unused or out of date medicines can be returned to your pharmacy for safe disposal and if you have questions about your prescription or need some support, speak to your pharmacy team.
Further information about the campaign can be found on the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Medicines Waste webpage.
