Cheshire and Merseyside Locals Help NHS Save £5 Million in Unused Medicine

'Five double-decker buses’ of medication saved in Cheshire and Merseyside

Residents in Cheshire and Merseyside have supported their local NHS to successfully reduce medicines waste in the region, saving approximately 60 tonnes of prescription medicines last winter – the weight of five double-decker buses.

A total of 641,000 prescription medicine items were saved during a five-month period from November 2024 to March this year, compared to forecasted numbers for dispensed medicine items, which would have otherwise cost the local NHS around £5 million.

A report by the Department of Health estimates that unused medicines cost the NHS around £300 million annually, and local health leaders have reported that large amounts of medicine items are wasted unnecessarily in Cheshire and Merseyside each year. 

In response, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside launched a campaign in November last year, asking patients to ‘only order what they need’ from their repeat prescriptions list, to help reduce stockpiling and waste of prescription medicines. 

The campaign was viewed approximately 2 million times across the region - via online platforms, local radio, and on 200 local buses - and is being relaunched this November in time for #MedSafetyWeek, with NHS leaders asking the public to ‘only order what you need’ to continue helping reduce medicines waste and stockpiling.

Susanne Lynch MBE, Chief Pharmacist at NHS Cheshire and Merseyside said: “Saving 60 tonnes of medication in a few short months is such a brilliant achievement by our local residents, and we are very grateful for their support.

“We know that a significant amount of prescription medicines are not used and returned to pharmacies for destruction. Simply making the choice to only order the medicines you need this time, rather than everything on your list, avoids wasting medicines and money for the NHS.

“Our NHS belongs to all of us, so playing our part in making the best use of our resources ultimately benefits everyone in our community. I’d like to say thank you to our patients for working together with us to help reduces medicines waste, and to encourage everyone to help us to do the same again this winter, by only ordering what you need.”

Karen O’Brien MBE, Regional Chief Pharmacist, NHS England - North West said: “Only ordering what you need is a great way to ensure that medicines are there for everyone when they need them, as well as keeping yourself and your family safe by avoiding stockpiling medicines, which can be dangerous for patients, and children and pets at home.

“Medicines also account for around 25% of carbon emissions within the NHS in England, and wasted medicines that don’t get disposed of properly can pollute our rivers, seas and soil. Every choice you make to reduce medicines waste is helping the NHS to ‘stay green’ and use our resources wisely.

“Thank you for only ordering what you need. If you have enough of some medicines at home, then simply don’t tick them on your prescription list. Your GP will continue to prescribe medication for as long as you clinically need it, but if you aren’t due to run out, you don’t need to over-order, and that medicine will still be there for you next time.”

To find out how you can help the NHS to reduce medicines waste, visit the ‘Only Order What You Need’ campaign page on the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside website: www.cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk/medicines-waste 

To find out more about #MedSafetyWeek, visit the campaign website: www.who-umc.org/medsafetyweek