Reduce Medicine Waste

Help the NHS to reduce medicines waste, together we can make a difference

The local NHS is running a campaign urging patients to make simple changes to help reduce medicines waste, which is estimated to cost the NHS nationally around £300m each year.

People are being encouraged to check how much prescription medication they have at home before ordering more and checking the expiry date on their medicines. They can also get advice from their GP or pharmacist around prescription medicines.

From September, local people can join a local Digital Café for free support and advice on using the NHS App around ordering their prescription medication.

For details on times and locations of these Digital Cafés in Bucks, Oxon and Berks West please visit the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB website.

For further tips and advice visit the StayWellBOB website which includes six short videos on how to reduce medicine waste.

The campaign being run by Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) and is running until the end of 2025 and will include regular messages for the public and patients around keeping medicines stored safely and how to dispose of unused medicines properly.

Published: Aug 8, 2025