An initiative to encourage patients to return wasted medicines to their local pharmacy has been backed by local AM, Russell George.
This week, the Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, supported an event held by Community Pharmacy Wales in the Senedd to highlight this issue and to urge people to think about their own medicines usage.
Following the event, Mr George said:
“Of the items of medicine which are prescribed in Wales every year, millions of these items are for medicines that are either not needed or are over supplied.
“The inefficiency in ordering, prescribing and supply of medicines costs an estimated £50 million to the NHS in Wales so I’m calling for all residents who are in receipt of a prescription to return unused medicines to your local pharmacy and to think about their own medicine usage to ensure that it is appropriate for their needs.
“The initiative is designed to optimise the use of medicines and the network of 700 pharmacies across Wales are uniquely placed to reduce this avoidable waste and make savings which can be reinvested into frontline healthcare.”