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Reducing Waste Medicines Key Slides

Reducing Waste Medicines Key Slides. www.npci.org.uk. What is a “ waste medicine”?. Could be defined as: “Any medicine which is prescribed and dispensed, but not taken to achieve the intended therapeutic outcome” Also “unwanted” or “unused” medicines. What is the scale of the problem?.

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Reducing Waste Medicines Key Slides

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  1. Reducing WasteMedicinesKey Slides www.npci.org.uk

  2. What is a “waste medicine”? Could be defined as: “Any medicine which is prescribed and dispensed, but not taken to achieve the intended therapeutic outcome” Also “unwanted” or “unused” medicines.

  3. What is the scale of the problem? • Approximately 750,000,000 prescription items issued every year in England alone.1 • This equates to a cost of around £7,600,000,000.1 • Studies show that up to half of patients do not take their medicines to best effect.1 1 – Department of Health (2008).The Pharmacy White Paper: Building on Strengths – Delivering the Future.

  4. Quantifying the cost of waste medicine • Medicines returned to pharmacies in England each year: 500 tonnes2 • Estimated value: £100,000,0003 • Tip of the iceberg! 2 -The Pharmaceutical Journal (2004). At least 523 tonnes of medicines wasted each year. Vol 272 No 7285 p145 3 -The Department of Health has quoted this estimate for some years, e.g. Hansard 10 November 2003, column 130W; 5 June 2006, column 385W. Cited in National Audit Office (2007). Prescribing Cost s in Primary Care

  5. Why? (Three questions) • Do patients fail to take the medicines they need? • Do patients order medicines that they don’t need? • Do prescribing systems supply medicines wastefully?

  6. Reducing waste • Influencing patients • Publicity campaigns • Supporting patients • Promoting concordance • Improving repeat prescribing systems • Community Pharmacy Services.

  7. How could we improve things for Mr Smith? MUR to answer his questions Sees a leaflet, highlighting costs of waste Signed up to RD, and gets to know his pharmacist Prescription Review, to ensure synchronisation and even quantities Timely Clinical Review Fully involved in decision to prescribe

  8. Summary • Waste medicine is a huge problem • The causes of waste are many (high) and complex • Waste can be reduced by: • Raising public awareness • Supporting and involving patients • Improving practice systems.

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