- Waste medicines costing NHS DG more than £1 million each year
- Unused medicines issued to patients have to be destroyed
- Waste medicines harming the environment
- Call to patients to help cut down the waste
MEDICINES waste in Dumfries and Galloway is costing more than £1 million each year and harming the environment, but local NHS leaders are taking steps to tackle the issue.
At a workshop, healthcare professionals from across the region gathered to confront the problem head-on.
Experts painted a stark picture of the damage caused by unused prescriptions, while also outlining innovative solutions to make prescribing safer, greener, and more effective.
A Million Pound Problem
Every year, unused medicines in Dumfries and Galloway is estimated to cost the NHS in excess of £1 million, with many of these drugs incinerated at additional environmental expense.
Interim Director of Pharmacy Gordon Loughran opened the workshop by underscoring the urgency of the problem.
Mr Loughran said: “Medicines are essential to healthcare, but the waste is staggering.
“Whether it’s unused prescriptions piling up in homes or the environmental impact of disposal, we need to do better.”
NHS Dumfries and Galloway also faces rising challenges from polypharmacy, where patients are prescribed multiple medications.
Nearly 40 per cent of residents over 75 take five or more drugs daily, often leading to unwelcome side effects, poor adherence, and waste.
Patients Feeling the Burden
Deputy Medical Director Dr Grecy Bell shared that one in five patients feels overwhelmed by their medicines, with some prescriptions doing more harm than good.
Consultant Geriatrician Dr Amy Connelly illustrated the human cost with the story of a local care home resident whose long list of medications left him dizzy, confused, and immobile. After a thorough review, unnecessary drugs were stopped, transforming his quality of life.
Dr Connelly said: “This isn’t just about saving money – it’s about helping patients and giving them back more control.”
Environmental Crisis
Medicines waste isn’t just a financial and clinical issue – it’s also an environmental concern.
Clinical Pharmacist Dr Emily Kennedy highlighted that the incineration of pharmaceutical waste in Dumfries and Galloway releases thousands of kilograms of CO₂ every year, with inhalers alone accounting for 4 per cent of the NHS’s carbon footprint.
Improper disposal of medicines is also contaminating local water supplies, prompting calls for unused medications to be returned.
Dr Kennedy pointed to international studies showing pharmaceutical compounds harming wildlife and aquatic ecosystems.
Innovative Solutions
The workshop wasn’t all grim statistics, though. Attendees explored practical steps to address the problem, including:
- Medication Reviews: Regular reviews in care homes to stop unnecessary prescriptions. Studies show that up to 50 per cent of care home residents are prescribed inappropriate drugs.
- “Only Order What You Need” Campaigns: Similar initiatives elsewhere have saved over £475,000 in costs and reduced CO₂ emissions by 294 tonnes.
- Recycling Medicines: While current rules require unused drugs to be destroyed, participants noted discussions have taken place around ways which might safely reintroduce unopened medications back into the supply chain.
Breaking Down Barriers
Workshop attendees broke into small groups to brainstorm other ideas.
Suggestions included improving patient education to reduce over-ordering and creating better systems for monitoring prescription use.
Mr Loughran said: “Ultimately, it’s a high volume of people being unwell in our region which drives the demand for medicines.
“And as part of the answer, we also need to be encouraging and supporting people to live healthier lives where possible, helping to reduce the need for medication.”
He added: “What’s apparent is that the solutions are there. Now it’s about turning ideas into action and working together to make a real difference.”
Next Steps
Insights from the workshop will feed into a Medicines Waste Implementation Plan, setting out practical actions for Dumfries and Galloway.
NHS leaders aim to roll out these initiatives over the coming months, with a focus on collaboration across primary, secondary and community care.
The move comes at a critical time, as the NHS faces increasing pressure to cut costs and reduce its carbon footprint.
Dr Kennedy said: “This is a challenge we can’t ignore. By prescribing smarter, reducing waste, and protecting our planet, we can create a healthcare system that truly works for everyone.”
What You Can Do
NHS Dumfries and Galloway is urging patients to do their part by ordering only the medicines they need, returning unused medications to pharmacies to be destroyed.
They are encouraged to inform the GP practice if no longer taking or needing a medication, and to attend regular medication reviews with the GP practice team.
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