Ebbw Vale Pharmacy Leads the Way in Cutting Medication Waste

A community pharmacy in Ebbw Vale has shown how a simple question can make a big difference in tackling medication waste and saving money for the NHS.

H. Shackleton Ltd recently completed a Quality Improvement project that prevented hundreds of pounds’ worth of unnecessary prescriptions from being dispensed in just a few weeks. The initiative supports Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s “Only Order What You Need” campaign and follows national guidance on medicines optimisation.

Medication waste is a growing problem across Wales, costing the NHS millions every year and harming the environment. In Gwent alone, around £9.6 million is wasted annually on unused or unnecessary repeat prescriptions.

To address this, Rhys John, a Primary and Community Care Academy Pharmacist, worked with Shackleton’s Pharmacy team to introduce a simple but effective intervention: asking patients collecting repeat prescriptions whether they needed every item in their bag. This extra check helped prevent unnecessary dispensing and significantly reduced waste.

Lee Coombs, Lead Pharmacist at H. Shackleton, said:
“Over such a small space of time, the amount of Waste Reduction Scheme endorsements and the value of stock that could be re-used amazed me. This was the result of a simple question asked when patients collected their prescriptions. It wasn’t time-consuming and led to significant savings in a very short space of time.”

How You Can Help

Medication waste affects everyone. Before you leave the pharmacy, check your bag and only take what you need. If medication is handed back before you leave the pharmacy, it can be reused. Together, we can make medication waste a thing of the past.

For more information about the “Only Order What You Need” campaign, visit:
https://abuhb.nhs.wales/hospitals/pharmacies-chemists/yourmeds/