Prescribing medicines is the most common treatment that the NHS provides for patients.
When you need to take medication GPs, pharmacists or other healthcare professionals looking after you will work with you to make sure that you get the right choice of medicine at the right time. This is called medicines optimisation.
The goal of medicines optimisation is to:
- Make sure that the medicines given to patients are used well and safely.
- Encourage people to understand their medicines and be involved in their own care.
- Avoid people taking unnecessary medicines or those that might be detrimental to them.
- Improve people’s health outcomes and support people to stay as well and as independent as they can.
- Reduce medicines waste.
Talk to your pharmacist or GP
We want you to get the best from your medicines.
Please speak to your local pharmacist if you need advice on any aspect of your medication.
To get the most benefit from your medication, you should take it in exactly the way that your GP has prescribed.
If you stop taking your medication – or if you stop taking it in the way your doctor prescribed it – please make an appointment to talk to your doctor about this. They will help you to make an informed choice about your medication and may be able to prescribe an alternative. Tell them if you’ve stopped following their prescription – it’s much better that they know.
Wasted or unused medicine
The NHS pays for every medicine it dispenses. If medicine is unused or wasted this is wasted money that could have been spent on something else. Nationally, the NHS spends an estimated £300 million on unused medicines each year.
We need to make sure that every penny we spend goes on helping patients. Cutting medicines waste is a priority for Hertfordshire and West Essex integrated care system. However, we need everyone to play their part, and this includes patients.
How you can help stop medicines waste and get more from your local NHS
Do
- check what you already have at home before you order more
- tell your doctor if you stop taking your medication
- speak to your pharmacist if you are receiving medicines you don’t use.
Reporting side effects
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) watches over medicines and healthcare products to make sure they are safe and effective. It acts quickly to protect the public if there is a problem.
The MHRA runs the Yellow Card scheme to collect and monitor information on suspected concerns. This might be a medicine side effect or a medical device not working as it should. Anyone can report side effects or problems, including healthcare professionals or the public (including patients, parents and carers). The scheme relies on people reporting concerns as soon as they happen. This information helps improve safety for future patients.
Go to the Yellow Card scheme websiteOther useful information
The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced information for patients about using medicines safely and effectively. It includes advice and guidance on talking to your health and care team to help you make decisions about your medication.
The NHS website also has helpful information:
Information on a medicine and the condition it treats Information on NHS prescription charges Find if you are eligible for free prescriptionsUseful information about medicines
This leaflet from Age UK looks at the risks of taking too many medicines More information from Age UK about medication Need help understanding your medicines?Your GP practice might invite you to discuss your medicines, and this is a great opportunity to raise any concerns you might have. This video explains how to prepare for a medication review, what to expect and how it might help you: