Topic of the Month

ONLY ORDER WHAT YOU NEED

Around £18 million is wasted every year on unused medicines across West Yorkshire, including inhalers, pain medication and creams.

When patients order or receive medicines they don’t need, they can end up with more than they need. This leads to stockpiling or medicines that are thrown away/wasted when they become out of date.

This campaign is raising awareness of the financial and environmental impacts of medicines waste across the NHS and how the patient can positively impact on this by only ordering what prescription medicines they need, when they need it.

We must ensure resources are used wisely and are used where they are most needed this also includes a substantial amount of staffing time particularly for the prescription clerk and pharmacy teams.

For more information and simple steps patients can take to help reduce medicines waste please visit the website: www.wypartnership.co.uk/orderwhatyouneed