Everyone is being asked to play their part and ‘Think Twice, Order Right’ to help reduce the estimated £2.6 million worth of medicines wasted every year across our area.
People are being asked to do a simple check to see what medicines they already have at home before ordering their repeat prescriptions, and to only request what they genuinely need.
By doing so, it can help prevent medicine shortages, reduce risks at home especially to children and pets, and minimise environmental harm.
NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin launched the new campaign recently – ‘Think Twice, Order Right’ – to help reduce waste.
£2.6 million is equivalent to 61,900 GP appointments, 179 hip replacement operations, or over 98,000 working hours of a Community Pharmacist.
The campaign asks people to check their current medicines before requesting more; only request what medicines they need, even if it appears on their repeat list and speak to their pharmacy team if they are unsure or need help.
By ‘Thinking Twice and Ordering Right’, patients will be helping to protect NHS resources, keep medicines available for those who need them, and prevent unnecessary environmental harm.
Any unused or expired medicines can be returned to local pharmacies for safe disposal.
Find out more about the medicines waste campaign, ‘Think Twice, Order Right’, at: ThinkTwiceOrderRight.co.uk
Why not nominate your hospital hero in our annual Trust Celebratory Awards as it makes such a difference to my colleagues.
It is an opportunity to nominate a team or individual who has made a remarkable contribution or has shown exceptional compassion and dedication in their role at our hospitals or the wider community.
The Public Recognition Award is a really special award because it is the only category where our patients and communities can nominate and then vote for their winner. This is a fantastic chance to ensure your hospital heroes receive the recognition they deserve.
You can nominate by visiting https://www.sath.nhs.uk/trustawards/public-recognition-award/
The nominations will be shortlisted and followed by a public vote, so you can choose your winner.
The closing date for nominations is Friday 1 August and the winner of the Public Recognition Award will be announced on Friday 17 October at the Trust Celebratory Awards.
From Thursday 18 July until Saturday 17 August, we will also be recognising South Asian Heritage Month.
People of South Asian heritage are a significant part of the British population, with about one in every 20 people in the country being of South Asian heritage, including countries such India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives.
The theme this year is “Roots to Routes”. The month provides a platform to acknowledge and celebrate the positive contributions of South Asian communities to our Trust and British society.