MSP Supports NHS Lanarkshire Medicine Wastage Campaign

Jun 9 2011 by Leona Greenan, Hamilton Advertiser

WASTED medicine is costing NHS Lanarkshire around £2m a year, it has been revealed.

The health board, who say that figure is the equivalent of the cost of 180 coronary bypass operations each year, are now working with local GPs and pharmacies in a bid to to reduce wastage and raise awareness of the issue so that this money can be used to improve other healthcare services in the area.

Dr Philip McMenemy, NHS Lanarkshire’s associate medical director for primary care, said this week: “The biggest problem comes from repeat prescriptions that people no longer need or use.

“But people don’t realise how much medicine wastage actually occurs.

“The key thing is for people, when they are taking their repeat prescriptions from their GPs, to think about the process.

“If they are not using a medicine or they are getting too much of a medicine or getting it too frequently, they should discuss that with their doctor or with their pharmacist.”

MSP Margaret Mitchell, Scottish Conservative and Unionist member for Central Scotland, backed the health board’s campaign this week.

She said: “It’s a sobering thought to discover that medicine waste can cost our local health boards such large sums which could instead be used to deliver frontline services.

“To help people order the correct type and amount of medicines, local GPs and pharmacists throughout Lanarkshire are distributing leaflets which people can use to cancel any medicines they no longer use when they are ordering their repeat prescriptions.”