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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To find this stockpiling of medications really annoying?

325 replies

MindSweeper · 09/09/2016 14:26

'This medicine was returned by a patient today. Once medicine has left a pharmacy it cannot be reused for safety reasons. All of the inhalers are full. The purple ones alone (all 42 of them) are worth £60 each. That is £2520 worth of medicines that the NHS could be using for something useful'

Medication wastage currently costs the NHS £300,000,000 per year.

It's shocking how much we have to waste in hospitals too, I see how much is destroyed and it makes me think how much good that could do for people in countries who don't have access to meds.

What solutions can you think of?

People are shifting the blame on pharmacists and doctors, but a lot of the time this stockpiling is people just not telling their doctors they're not taking medications, and still ticking the box to receive the med.

To find this stockpiling of medications really annoying?

OP posts:

MandMand · 09/09/2016 14:49

I realise that prescription charges don't cover the full cost of most medications, but surely they act as a deterrent to this kind of wastage. Perhaps if fewer people were exempted from charges it help focus their minds a bit more? I would also support charges for GP appointments/A&E visits to deter time wasters.

Mouikey · 09/09/2016 14:51

So I have a lot of medication (not life or death stuff - vitamins primarily, needed as a result of surgery). Whilst I get the drugs in boxes of three months, the pharmacy order them every 6 weeks. I use them so it's not a big deal. However one of my old prescriptions was for iron tablets which bought over the counter are £3.00 rather than the £8 on prescription. There needs to be lots of education around prescriptions and medication more generally.

madamginger · 09/09/2016 14:52

Also, just because it's on the prescription does not mean you need to take it. Just tell the pharmacy that you don't want it and they will cross it off.

Vlier · 09/09/2016 14:53

Depends on the reason they had so much and why they brought it back. My mum used to have a lot of different medicine and always had a little stock because she was too unwell to go to the pharmacy often. When she died we returned a completely filled binbag with medicine. To be fair, she couldnt calculate when she would die, could she? You can't ask such a sick woman not to stockpile. She was so unwell she even died ffs. She doesn't cost any money anymore now.

bigbluebus · 09/09/2016 14:57

When we cleared out my Mother's house after she died, there was enough Warfarin in there to wipe out the entire rat population of the UK! Her other medication was delivered every 4 weeks in blister packs but because of the varying nature of Warfarin doses it cannot be included so every delivery contained more boxes of Warfarin when she already had more than enough in the house. She was also that person who would be prescribed something and after taking 2 tablets would say it made her ill. Consequently there were many packs of unfinished tablets,

In my garage I currently have all the medication which I have cleared out of her house - both prescribed and over the counter. It is such a large bag that I am too embarassed to take it to a pharmacy for disposal for fear it ends up as a photo and story like this!

Original poster

MindSweeper · 09/09/2016 14:58

vlier it sounds like your mum could have benefited from having her medications delivered to her. There would have been no reason to stockpile, and no expectation to 'calculate' anything if she was getting regular deliveries with her medications. I'm disappointed this was never suggested to her by her GP or the pharmacy :(

OP posts:

Arfarfanarf · 09/09/2016 14:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

madamginger · 09/09/2016 15:00

Having a month or twos supply is different than months or even years worth of stuff stockpiled.
Most pharmacies will order and deliver your medication, there is absolutely no need to stockpile medicines. They end up in the bin and cannot be reused.

Original poster

MindSweeper · 09/09/2016 15:01

That's a good idea arf, it would be great if we had a cheap infrastructure in place to facilitate that

OP posts:

Badders123 · 09/09/2016 15:04

I have an (older) friend who does this...
Her attitude is she has paid into the NHS for years so she should get what she wants when she wants (she is currently trying to get a bunion op done which is not clinically necessary - she only wants it because she "can't wear her summer sandals"!!!)
She has boxes and boxes of paracetamol of all things - I buy mine at aldi for 16p a box!!!
She is well off and is not short of money.
I know many like her in my village (older population) and it makes me very angry.
The attitude of "I'm entitled to it" is really really prevalent - it's nothing to do with actual need.

Hmmnotkeen · 09/09/2016 15:04

After I had my DC, on discharge they insisted on giving me six weeks worth of the blood thinner injections, even though I explained that I already had four weeks at home (just filled a months prescription and DC was premature). It was really frustrating and then embarrassing to have to take it to the pharmacy later.

PitchFork · 09/09/2016 15:04

yanbu
but it's difficult. my grandparents were similar bags and bags of stuff - until they had a medication review and dispensing service at the chemist.
they put everything into a 4 week dispensing chest. delivered to their house every 4 weeks.
they also made a spreadsheet with all medications incl side effects and contra kndications to take to their various dr appointments.

it worked for them, but I can imagine it to feel very intrusive for sone people.

madamginger · 09/09/2016 15:05

You can buy upto 3 packs of 32 paracetamol from a pharmacy without a prescription.

brasty · 09/09/2016 15:05

Many people who get free prescriptions, need to get them.

Original poster

MindSweeper · 09/09/2016 15:05

she is currently trying to get a bunion op done which is not clinically necessary - she only wants it because she "can't wear her summer sandals"!!!

I know a genuinly lovely lady who wants a knee operation because her 'friend has had one' I shouldn't laugh but the attitude just astounds me

OP posts:

WindPowerRanger · 09/09/2016 15:06

Paracetamol: why can't doctors issue, not a prescription, but a 'please allow to buy in the following quantities' notice?

Also, I have a compulsory bi-annual meds review to see whether I still need them at all or in the same dosage. No more meds until the review is completed. There is a special protocol between me, GP and consultant covering it all. I am surprised asthma isn't dealt with in the same way. Lots of long-term/permanent conditions probably should be.

brasty · 09/09/2016 15:06

And I thought you could not order a repeat for more than a months medication now, unless it is coming from the hospital pharmacy.

BarbarianMum · 09/09/2016 15:09

The thing about inhalers though is that, for dome types of asthma, you administer as needed. So if you are having a good spell, your inhalers can be out of date before they are empty. I'd never stockpile like in the OP but I have allergic asthma but I have 2 ventolin inhalers (1 in my bag, 1 by the bed) and sometimes both need to be replaced when hardly used.

Original poster

MindSweeper · 09/09/2016 15:10

I am surprised asthma isn't dealt with in the same way

I have 6 monthly asthma reviews. NICE recommends at least annually.

But even with reviews, it doesn't mean people are going to be forthcoming.

OP posts:

PitchFork · 09/09/2016 15:12

why are reliever inhalers prescription only? I have allergic asthma as well and only need the inhaler 4-5 times a year. so I can't have them on repeat but need to have a time consuming asthma review each time I need new ones.

Dapplegrey1 · 09/09/2016 15:12

Intercare is a charity which takes unused, unopened medicines for use overseas.
There's lots about it on google.

SharonfromEON · 09/09/2016 15:13

The problem with this is some people are struggling to afford food so would they get medication they think they can scrimp on...

Also re time wasters..How do you define that.. I took my DS to A&E on the advise of 111.. I thought I would be considered a time waster. Within 24 hours he was in surgery..It is really hard to define.

Original poster

MindSweeper · 09/09/2016 15:13

The thing about inhalers though is that, for dome types of asthma, you administer as needed

Seratide (purple ones) is for the control of asthma so should be taken regularly though so I don't see how someone could stockpile 42 of them

OP posts:

Badders123 · 09/09/2016 15:13

Sweeper...I know. It's so awful but I just laughed...she's mad! Bunion ops are supposed to be excruciating! Just buy some different sandals!
I know that my Dh and my sons meds (asthmatics all) are done for 6 months and then they have to have a review.
I must admit to having more of ds1s I halers than I need...I miscounted and thought one had been taken up to pils when it hadn't!
So it can happen to all of us....but not month after month after month...
The pharmacist had a chat with my mum not long ago on his little room 😀 He just wanted to check her meds and that she was coping ok with them all (she has lots due to heart problems, pvd and copd)
He was lovely and she appreciated it.

Natsku · 09/09/2016 15:16

Bigger prescription charges help prevent this - I have to pay nearly 30 euros for each asthma inhaler, no way am I stockpiling those!

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