Waste Medicines in BLMK

Waste medicines cost the NHS around £300 million a year

In monetary terms, that could pay for:

11, 778 more community nurses or

80, 906 more hip replacements or

19, 799 more drug treatment courses for breast cancer or

300, 000 more drug treatment courses for Alzheimer’s or

312, 175 cataract operations

In 2025 BLMK ICB expect to start a campaign to target medicines waste.  Further information will be available at that time , but here are some useful resources:

Medicine Waste UK

NHS Dorset’s Webinar – Only Order What You Need: Patient Education Campaign

NHS Dorset’s Webinar – Only Order What You Need

 

Recent Webinar from Centre for Sustainable Healthcare;

Medicines Return and Reuse:

Prescribing and deprescribing – Greener Practice

RPS Sustainability Policies

The mechanics of tackling overprescribing and problematic polypharmacy 

Environmental impact report: Medicines optimisation Implementing the NICE guideline on medicines optimisation (NG5)

Drugs used in hospitals leave giant carbon footprint | AAMC

Patient information:

Cheshire and Merseyside Green Videos – include some general information as well as specific medicines waste information, suitable for waiting rooms

Recycling:

Boots UK Blister Pack Recycling Scheme – reward points available for customers bringing in empty blister packs

PenCycle – for recycling Novo Nordisk pens free of charge

Medicines | Recycle Now Searchable function to check for local services