Unlike Scotland (where prescriptions are free), in England you usually have to pay for them unless eligible for free prescriptions (this should also entitle you to free dental care, eye care and wigs (for cancer treatment or alopecia).
It’s estimated that around 8.4 million people in England are prescribed 5 or more medicines (and a fifth of hospital admissions for older people are due to adverse effects).
Safely removing people off unnecessary medicines could make people safer, reduce waste (and animal testing – all medicines are tested by law) and save an estimated £300 million that could be put to better use.
Once registered with a GP, ask for a medical review, as millions of pounds are wasted on people storing up medications they never use.
A good GP should offer a yearly review (if not, ask for one). This way you can safely adjust or remove or improve medications, to avoid NHS waste. Take unused medicines to your local pharmacy for recycling (never flush them down the loo).
You can download the free NHS app to order repeat prescriptions from a nominated pharmacy, book appointments, view your GP health record, register organ donation decisions, view your NHS number and use NHS 111 online to answer questions and get instant advice or medical help near you.
Recycled Paper Medication Tracker Pads
These medication tracker pads are ideal to keep organised if you take medicines. They are beautifully illustrated, printed on recycled paper and sent in plastic-free packaging.
Millions of pounds is wasted yearly on the NHS, from ordering unused medicines. Ask your GP each year for a medication review, to ensure ‘dinosaur doctors’ are not just doling out unnecessary medicines.
And always recycle unused medicines at the pharmacy, never throw them out or flush them down the loo.
In two designs, these trackers help to make it easy to ensure you take medicine, don’t forget and also don’t overdose. There is a clear overview of what to take when, plus a little sparkle of colour, because medicine is not the most fun subject.
You can log what you’ve taken, then tick off as you go, in the tracker section. This tracker was created, after the designer’s delivery of her baby did not go to plan. Bedridden for weeks and taking heaps of medication and injections, she drew out a schedule, but was inspired to create something a bit more fun and colourful.
She knows that so many people struggle with serious illness like cancer and Alzheimer’s. And they deserve to have a little more creativity added to their day.
The 52 tear-away pages have cardboard backing, and there is a hole at the top, to easily hang up the chart.
