Pictured is a pile of medicines showing what was ordered on a TTO, compared to what was actually needed. The pile on the left is what was ordered by the ward. The pile on the right was what was actually needed, after pharmacy spoke with the patient and checked the patient's locker.

Medication waste has increased by 65% since 2023 at HRI alone, with almost 500kg per month of wastage over the last 12 months. In 2023, this was 300kg per month. 

That's an increase of around 6,000kg of waste per year.

To put this into perspective, that increase in waste is the equivalent of:

• Almost four family cars
• One African elephant
• Or approximately 85 average adults

When it comes to helping reduce medicine waste and their subsequent costs, TTOs matter. If every To Take Out (TTO) prescription contained only the medicines our patients needed, we could save approximately:

• £22 per TTO
• £1,760 per day
• £459,360 per year*

These figures represent the cost of medicine alone and do not include the time spent dispensing, checking and supplying medicines that are never used.

How can you help?

There are plenty of ways for clinical staff to help us reduce waste and save money:

• Ask patients to bring their medicines into hospital and encourage family members to bring medicines into hospital where possible
• Check with patients or relatives what medicines are already available at home before ordering
• If medicines have been brought in, keep them with the patient and use them during their admission where appropriate
• Ensure medicines transfer with the patient when they move to a different ward or department
• Before discharge, always check what medicines the patient already has at home and only order what is required
• Check ward stock before ordering additional supplies
• Return medication to pharmacy in your green bins

Medication Safety Pharmacy Technician, Megan Özer, said: "Reducing medicine waste is not just about saving money. Every wasted medicine represents a missed opportunity to improve patient care. By working together and engaging colleagues across all areas, we can make meaningful changes that reduce waste, improve patient safety and ensure healthcare resources are used where they are needed"

*Based on an average of 40 TTOs per day, Monday to Friday.