Managing your medicines: helping reduce waste
We’re working to make sure medicines are used safely and not wasted. Here are a few ways you can help:
- Order only what you need
Before requesting a repeat prescription, check what you already have at home. Ordering only what you need helps reduce waste and saves NHS resources.
2. Try to order all your medicines together
If you take regular medicines, try to order them all at the same time – once a month if possible. This helps keep things simple and avoids missed doses.
If your medicines are on different cycles (e.g., some for 28 days and others for 56), please submit an admin eConsult requesting a “one-off prescription for X in order to align my medications to ordering once a month.” This will then be passed to our pharmacy team for review and action.
3. Check your medicines before leaving the pharmacy
Please open the bag and check your medicines before you leave the pharmacy. Make sure everything inside is what you were expecting and that you haven’t received anything you didn’t want.
If something is wrong – such as the wrong item, a missing medicine, or a brand you don’t want – hand it back immediately. Once medicines leave the pharmacy, they cannot be reused or returned, even if unopened and in original packaging.
This is especially important if you prefer certain brands, as pharmacies can’t always guarantee availability. If the brand you’ve been given isn’t suitable, return it before leaving to avoid waste.
4. Over-the-counter medicines
Some common conditions can be treated with medicines you can buy without a prescription. You can read more in our Over-the-counter Medicines leaflet.
5. Prescription timelines
We need three working days to process your prescription request. Pharmacies also need time to prepare your medicines, and their turnaround times vary. Please check with your pharmacy and order in good time so you don’t run out.
6. Disposing of unwanted medicines
Any unwanted, unneeded, or expired medication should be returned to a pharmacy for proper disposal. Do not flush medicines down the toilet or sink, and do not put them in household waste. This ensures safe and environmentally responsible disposal.