WASTED MEDICATION COSTING SOUTHAMPTON PCT OVER £1 MILLION PER YEAR - GIDLEY

3.28.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 22nd May 2008

Southampton MP Sandra Gidley called on patients to ensure they are only taking the medication they need, after it emerged that unused prescriptions were costing Southampton City PCT over £1 million a year.

The figures, obtained by the Liberal Democrats under the Freedom of Information Act, show that there has been 24,400 kg of unused medication returned to Southampton PCT since September 2004, amounting to £4.88 million in wasted prescriptions. This amounts to over £1 million per year, and would be enough to pay for 200 hip replacements, 140 more heart by-pass operations, 30 more community nurses, or 180 more knee replacements.

Commenting, Sandra, who is also Liberal Democrat Public Health Spokesperson and a registered pharmacist, said:

"Wasted medicines mean wasted money. These prescriptions can't be used again and if some of this money can be saved it can be reinvested in other areas of health care.

"Unwanted drugs in the home may mean patients are not getting the benefit they could be from their medicines. There is also an environmental cost as these drugs have to be transported and then incinerated at high temperatures.

"If anyone has any unused medication at home I would encourage them to take it back to their pharmacy for safe disposal. I would also urge patients to have regular reviews with their pharmacist about their medication and how to use it effectively."

ENDS