News and media releases from the Surrey Heartlands area
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Local pharmacist appeals to Surrey residents to cut medicine waste
A local pharmacist is urging Surrey residents to take simple but important steps to reduce medicine waste, helping to protect both the NHS and the environment.
Every year, Surrey Heartlands ICB spends around £162 million on medicines, with about 16 million prescriptions issued. Of that total, an estimated 1.2 million repeat prescription items go unused and end up being thrown away and that waste adds up to around £12 million annually. These unused medicines cannot be reused or recycled and often end up in landfill or even in our waterways, where they harm wildlife and contribute to pollution.
As part of the NHS Surrey Heartlands' "Only Order What You Need" campaign, pharmacist Khatidja Kureeman is encouraging people, especially those aged 50 and over, who are more likely to have repeat prescriptions, to check what they already have at home before ordering more.
“People don’t always realise how much difference a quick check at home can make,” said Khatidja. “When medicines are over-ordered or stockpiled, they’re often left unused and go out of date. That’s a waste of NHS resources and a risk to the environment.”
Khatidja says she often speaks with patients about reviewing their prescriptions and only requesting what’s truly needed.
“I always remind people they can order medicines later if they run low, there’s no need to order everything every month,” she said. “Ordering medication you don’t need can lead to shortages for others, and storing excess medicines at home can be unsafe, especially around children or pets.”
The campaign also encourages carers and families to get involved by helping their loved ones manage repeat prescriptions more carefully.
Linda Honey, Director of Pharmacy for Surrey Heartlands, said “It’s great to see more people thinking before they order and bringing back unwanted medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal. It’s all about making sure people have what they need to stay well, without wasting what isn’t needed.”
Residents are being urged to support the campaign by only ordering the medicines they truly need and using up what they already have first.
Find out more about medicines waste
