Frome GP practice ‘national exemplar’ for cutting medicine waste

Frome’s GP practice has been hailed as a ‘national exemplar’ after saving the NHS nearly £279,000 in prescribing costs in a single year.

Frome Medical Practice has been part of the ‘Only Order What You Need’ NHS campaign aimed at reducing medicine waste by encouraging the public to check their medicine cabinets at home before making orders.

Along with saving the NHS thousands in prescribing costs, the practice has reduced prescribing by 22,278 items and prevented 122 tonnes of CO2 emissions, equivalent to driving over 535,000 miles.

The money saved can be redirected into frontline NHS Services.

Partner at Frome Medical Practice, Dr Neha Bhagi, said, “We are enormously grateful to our patients and local pharmacies who supported us and embraced the changes when we introduced ‘Only Order What You Need’ at the practice.  It’s been a small but very effective change, which has had a positive impact on people, the planet and the pocket of patients who pay for prescriptions, as well as the NHS.”

The practice is also the second practice in England for ‘proxy access’ via the NHS App, enabling carers to safely order repeat prescriptions on behalf of loved ones and dramatically cutting waste and errors.

Chief Pharmacist at NHS Somerset, Shaun Green, said, “Medicine waste is a serious problem that affects local people, the environment and our budgets. By only ordering what you need, checking prescriptions before leaving the pharmacy, and safely returning unused medicines, we can work together to reduce unnecessary costs and ensure NHS resources are focused on patient care.”

The NHS in Somerset is urging the public to make a resolution to check their medicine cabinets, as shocking figures reveal that more than one billion prescription items are wasted each year, costing the NHS over £300 million annually.

Pictured: Dr. Neha Bhagi