Medicines Waste Campaign Posted or Updated on 10 Mar 2026

The NHS in Coventry and Warwickshire has launched a new campaign to help reduce medicines waste - and we’re asking for your support.

Why this matters

Every year, around 1.6 million items of medicines are wasted in Coventry and Warwickshire. This costs the NHS over £13 million, money that could be used for other vital local services.

Stockpiled medicines can also pose a risk to you and your family. Medicines may expire and work less effectively, and large amounts of medicines may be accidentally accessed by children or pets.

There is also an environmental impact. The amount of medicines wasted locally is equivalent to more than 8,000,000kg of carbon emissions. So, reducing waste helps protect our planet as well as our health service.

How you can help

If you have a repeat prescription, you can help to reduce medicines waste by:

1. Checking what you already have at home before ordering and only requesting the items you need. You can still order other items in future if required.
2. Checking your bag before leaving the pharmacy. If there are any items you don’t need, they can be returned immediately and safely reused.
3. Speaking to your pharmacist if you’ve stopped taking a medicine or feel it is no longer right for you.

Your support will help reduce medicines waste, use NHS resources wisely, and keep you and your loved ones safe.

Where to find out more

If you have questions about your repeat prescriptions, your pharmacist is the best first point of contact. They will advise you, and if needed, suggest discussing changes with your GP.

For more information, visit www.happyhealthylives.uk/yourmeds.