Get the latest news from Manx.News

DHSC urges patients not to reorder medicines unnecessarily

Mon, 20 Aug 2018

The Department of Health and Social Care wants Manx residents not to unnecessarily order prescriptions in a bid to save £300,000 per year.

Those who have items on repeat prescription are being asked to check what they have at home before ordering more from the pharmacy.

The Department says unused medicines are regularly handed in at chemists, but can't be reissued even if unopened and still in date.

The DHSC insists the campaign isn't about denying medicines to those who need them, but is an appeal for patients to be practical and sensible.

All Douglas pharmacies logged returned items over a two-week period as part of an audit, suggesting around £300,000 of prescription drugs go unused each year.

---