Unused Medicine?

Only order the items you need

•Check what medicines you have at home before re-ordering.

•If you don’t need the medicine this time please don’t order it. It will not disappear from your prescription.

Return any unwanted medicine to a pharmacy for safe disposal

•Unused medicines expire and might not work as you need them to.

Check your medicine bag before you leave the pharmacy and return any unwanted medication

•If you return any unwanted medication before you leave the pharmacy, the medicine can be reused.

Tell your GP practice if you no longer want or need a medication

•Letting your GP practice know if you no longer want or need a medication saves the NHS time and money as well as helping to protect our medicinal supply lines and environment.

Did you know?

•Medicines waste costs the NHS around £300 million per year? That’s enough to fund 7.6 million GP appointments.

•When flushed down toilets or put into bins, medicines waste can pollute our waterways and get into our soil, causing harmful pollution to our environment. 

•Inhalers, even after the medication has been used can leak harmful greenhouse gasses if not disposed of correctly.

•Unused or incorrectly stored medicine can be dangerous to pets and children.

•Over-ordering medicinal supplies contributes to medicines shortages.