New NHS campaign to help reduce medicine waste in London

North West London ICB has teamed up with the other NHS integrated care boards across the capital to launch a new campaign encouraging people to only order the medicines they need to help reduce waste.

Across the NHS, unused medicines cost around £300 million every year – money that could be used to provide other NHS care. 

Many people feel they need to order every medicine listed on their repeat prescription, even if they still have some at home. Before reordering, we’re encouraging patients to take a moment to check what they already have. If you still have enough medicine to last, you do not need to request more just yet.

Only ordering what you need:

• helps keep you safe, as medicines can go out of date and may not work as they should
• helps prevent shortages, so medicines remain available for everyone
• reduces waste and supports the NHS to use resources more effectively
• protects the environment.

If you have stopped taking a medicine, or are unsure whether you still need it, you can ask your GP practice for a medicines review. This helps make sure your prescription is right for you.

You can also take any unused or out of date medicines to your local pharmacy for safe disposal.

GP practices, pharmacies and community groups across north west London will be sharing advice and information throughout the campaign. When it comes to repeat prescriptions, a quick check before you re order can make a big difference – only order what you need.

To support this initiative, promotional materials have been created for use in advertisements. These can be found here.