Services Database Medication Waste “Don’t Stockpile Medicines” Project (Hertsmere Area)

The aim of the Medication Waste “Don’t Stockpile Medicines” project is to enable community pharmacists in Hertsmere to visit often-vulnerable patients in their homes to undertake a domiciliary Medicines Use Review (MUR). The patient will have been referred by a nurse, a social worker, care staff or other professional to the pharmacy as potentially having an overstock of medication. This will ensure that:

•  any excess or out of date medication is removed and to improve the patient’s understanding of medicines is improved;
• medicines waste is reduced by preventing stockpiling in the future;
• patient’s quality of life is improved through improved compliance;
• hospital admissions are reduced; and
• the requirement for multiple social care visits for medication issues is reduced.

This project will provide an important opportunity for community pharmacists to have a discussion with the patient and educate them to manage and order their medication in the most appropriate way in the future.

Not known.