A CAMPAIGN has been launched to reduce the amount of cash being wasted on medicines that aren’t needed.

Health chiefs at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have expressed concern over the money being lost through medicines waste.

The total cost to NHS Scotland each year is £20million, with the biggest problem caused by repeat prescriptions that people no longer need or use.

Lead pharmacist Audrey Thompson said: “Some medication returned to pharmacists for disposal is not opened – meaning people are ordering and receiving medication they don’t even start to use.

“The reasons why patients don’t take all their medication can vary, such as worrying they may run out of medicine or not wanting to tell their GP if they’ve stopped taking their medicine.

“We want to ensure that people, whether they receive regular medication themselves or if they have a family member that is on repeat prescription, know the facts about this issue and know what to do if they have stopped taking a medication that is still being prescribed.”

Health chiefs have also stressed that unused medicines cannot be recycled and can present a safety risk if not disposed of properly.

A spokesperson for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “Even if you never open them, once medicines have left the pharmacy, they cannot be recycled or used by anyone else.

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“We are asking patients to think about which medicines they need, check what medicines they still have at home before re-ordering and to let their pharmacist or GP know if they have stopped taking any medicines on their repeat prescription list.

“Another practical measure is to make sure any medicines are taken in date order, otherwise they can go out of date and have to be discarded.

“These few steps could make a significant difference to the amount of medicines wasted every year.”

For further advice, visit the dedicated webpages at nhsggc.org.uk/speakup