Unused prescriptions across Dumfries and Galloway are costing the NHS more than £1 million a year.
NHS leaders are concerned at the environmental harm of having to incinerate the drugs – and the challenge of nearly 40 per cent of residents over 75 being prescribed multiple medications of five or more drugs daily, often leading to unwelcome side effects, poor adherence to instructions, and waste.
A workshop of healthcare professionals from across the region met to confront the problem head-on contribute to a Medicines Waste Implementation Plan which sets out practical actions for Dumfries and Galloway.
Initiatives focused on “collaboration across primary, secondary and community care” are to be revealed and rolled out over coming months.
The move comes at a critical time, as the NHS faces increasing pressure to cut costs and reduce its carbon footprint.
Interim director of pharmacy, Gordon Loughran, underlined the urgency of the problem: “Medicines are essential to healthcare, but the waste is staggering.
“Whether it’s unused prescriptions piling up in homes or the environmental impact of disposal, we need to do better.”
He said: “Ultimately, it’s a high volume of people being unwell in our region which drives the demand for medicines.
“And as part of the answer, we also need to be encouraging and supporting people to live healthier lives where possible, helping to reduce the need for medication.
“What’s apparent is that the solutions are there. Now it’s about turning ideas into action and working together to make a real difference.”
During the workshop, deputy medical director Dr Grecy Bell said that “one in five patients feels overwhelmed by their medicines, with some prescriptions doing more harm than good”.
Consultant geriatrician Dr Amy Connelly illustrated the human cost with the story of a local care home resident whose long list of medications left him “dizzy, confused, and immobile”.
After a thorough review, unnecessary drugs were stopped and it has transformed his quality of life.
She said: “This isn’t just about saving money, it’s about helping patients and giving them back more control.”
Suggestions included improving patient education to reduce over-ordering and creating better systems for monitoring prescription use.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway is now urging patients to do their part by ordering only the medicines they need, return unused medications to pharmacies to be destroyed and inform their GP practice if they are no longer taking or needing a medication, as well as having regular medication reviews.
Among “practical steps” that could be taken were regular medical reviews in care homes to stop unnecessary prescriptions.
Studies show that up to 50 per cent of care home residents are prescribed “inappropriate drugs”.
While current rules require unused drugs to be destroyed, participants noted discussions have taken place around ways which might safely reintroduce unopened medications back into the supply chain.
They also considered “Only Order What You Need” campaigns as similar initiatives elsewhere have saved more than £475,000 in costs and reduced CO₂ emissions by 294 tonnes.
Meanwhile, clinical pharmacist Dr Emily Kennedy highlighted that the incineration of pharmaceutical waste in Dumfries and Galloway releases thousands of kilograms of CO₂ every year.
Inhalers alone account for four per cent of the NHS’s carbon footprint.
She said that improper disposal of medicines is also contaminating local water supplies, prompting calls for unused medications to be returned.
Dr Kennedy, who highlighted how international studies show pharmaceutical compounds harm wildlife and aquatic ecosystems, said: “This is a challenge we can’t ignore. By prescribing smarter, reducing waste, and protecting our planet, we can create a healthcare system that truly works for everyone.”