Reducing Medicines Waste Key Slides

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Reducing Medicines WasteKey Slides
www.npci.org.uk
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What is a Wasted 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

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Quantifying The Cost of Medicines Waste

• Medicines returned to pharmacies in England each
  year 500 tonnes1
• Estimated value 100,000,0002
• Tip of the Iceberg!

1- The Pharmaceutical Journal (2004) Vol 272 No
7285 p145 2 -The Department of Health has quoted
this estimate for some years, e.g. Hansard 10
November 2003, column 130W 5 June 2006, column
385W
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Three Questions

• Do patients fail to take the medicines they need?
• Do patients order medicines that they dont need?
• Do prescribing systems supply medicines
  wastefully?

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Reducing Waste

• Influencing Patients
• Publicity Campaigns
• Supporting Patients
• Promoting Concordance
• Improving repeat prescribing systems
• Pharmacy Services

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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
Regular Clinical Review
Fully involved in decision to prescribe
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Summary

• Wasted medicines is a huge problem
• The causes of waste are many and complex
• Waste can be reduced by
• Raising awareness
• Supporting patients
• Improving systems