Dorset pharmacists on a mission to stop medication waste
Dorset’s “Only Order What You Need” campaign is back, urging residents to check medicines at home before ordering repeats
Pharmacists and GPs across Dorset are once again urging residents to “Only Order What You Need” as the county relaunches a campaign to combat rising levels of medicine waste.
The initiative, now in its second year, comes amid growing concerns over the scale of unnecessary prescribing.
Each month, approximately 50,000 people in Dorset receive repeat prescriptions - many for multiple medications.
NHS Dorset estimates that 1.6 million of these items go unused every year, amounting to significant waste and costing the local NHS around £10 million monthly.
Peter Cope, Head of Medicines Optimisation at NHS Dorset, stressed the importance of personal responsibility in managing medication.
He said: “We want to remind people how important it is to check what medicines they have at home before placing their repeat prescription order.
“With the support of our people and communities, we can reduce medicine waste, prevent supply pressures, and ensure the right medication is available for those who need it most.”
The campaign encourages patients to take three simple steps: check their existing medicines before reordering, only request what they genuinely need, and seek guidance from pharmacy staff when unsure.
Unused or expired medicines can be returned to any pharmacy for safe disposal.
Health leaders hope that small changes in personal habits will help ease supply issues, improve patient safety, and preserve vital NHS resources at a time of mounting financial pressure.