Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Government pledges to reduce overprescribing of medicines in healthcare centres

The UK government has decided to take action against unnecessary and overprescribing of medicines in primary healthcare centres.

The decision follows a government-commissioned review led by Dr Keith Ridge, the chief pharmaceutical officer for England.


The review found that 10 per cent of the volume of prescription items dispensed through primary care are either inappropriate for that patients’ circumstances, or could be better served with alternative treatments.

Around 6.5 per cent of total hospital admissions are caused by the adverse effects of medicines, it said.

The study added that higher consumption of medicines increases the chances of harmful side effects. Even a blood pressure controlling medicine can increase the risk of falls amongst the frail and elderly.

It described overprescribing as a situation where potential harm outweighs the benefit of the medication. It can happen when a better alternative is available but not prescribed.

Dr Ridge said: “Medicines do people a lot of good and the practical measures set out in this report will help clinicians ensure people are getting the right type and amount of medication, which is better for patients and also benefits taxpayers, by preventing unnecessary spending on prescriptions.”

The report has given six key recommendations, including introduction of a new national clinical director for prescribing to lead a 3-year programme, covering research and training for effective prescribing.

It further suggested system-wide changes to improve patient records and training for general practices (GPs) to improve prescribing processes.

It recommended safe withdrawal of inappropriate medication, and called for cultural changes to reduce a reliance on medicines and support for shared decision-making between clinicians and patients.

The report also insisted on waste reduction in healthcare to help deliver NHS’s net zero carbon emissions.

The government has accepted all recommendations and reforms to pharmacist training is already underway.

Calling it a significant step towards benefiting patients, health minister Syed Kamall said: “Whether it’s helping to change a culture of demand for medicines that are not needed, providing better alternatives and preventing ill-health in the first place, we will take a range of steps to act on this review.”

“This is an incredibly important review which will have a lasting impact on people’s lives and improve the way medicines are prescribed," said health secretary Sajid Javid.

“With 15 per cent of people taking 5 or more medicines a day, in some cases to deal with the side effects of another medicine, more needs to be done to listen to patients and help clinical teams tackle overprescribing," he added.

Pharmacy reaction

Royal Pharmaceutical Society England chair Thorrun Govind lauded the review saying it will “ensure more effective use of medicines.”

“For too long the healthcare system has focused on the positive effects of adding medicines to a prescription, rather than acknowledging that this can also increase the risk of side effects and interactions between medicines, leading to poor health and costly unnecessary admissions to hospital.

“We need to focus on putting shared decision making between the prescriber and patient at the heart of prescribing, and look at the individual needs and circumstances of each person."

She added the report not only explores several issues that pharmacists have been highlighting, but also gives a range of solutions to them.

“Pharmacists across the country will be eager to play an active role, working alongside the patients and communities they serve, to reduce the harm that medicines can cause when over prescribed.”

RPS representative on the report's working group, Lelly Oboh FRPharmS, said it is important to consider a person’s social, physical and mental health needs while prescribing medicines.

She added: “This report will change how we start, stop, monitor and review people’s medicines, with a greater emphasis on having person-centred conversations”.

Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMp) has also welcomed the report, but highlighted some complexities in the suggested solutions.

Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive at AIMp, said: “Community pharmacy should be centre stage to these reforms. Any changes are likely to impact on the sector and concentrate disproportionately on cost and will thus have a complex and uneven impact on the network. It is therefore crucial that the sector is engaged with in this journey and be a key influencer in driving the patients’ and public’s expectations.”

She added: “Education, social responsibility, personal accountability and sweeping national cultural changes are necessary.”

Welcoming the report, Nick Kaye, vice chair at the National Pharmacy Association, highlighted the role that pharmacists can play to tackle the overprescribing of medication.

He said: “Community pharmacists could play an increasingly important role in ensuring effective prescribing, for example through Structured Medication Reviews and as independent prescribers. That will improve patients’ access to advice and deploy the expertise of pharmacists to good effect.

“On the flip side of overprescribing is the matter of helping patients get the most from their medicines once dispensed, which is the bread and butter of community pharmacy.  New services like the Discharge Medicines Service and the extended New Medicine Service build on this role significantly."

More For You

Independent Prescribing: Government aims to complete pathfinder programme evaluation by autumn 2025

Pharmacist prescribers at 210 ‘pathfinder’ sites were allowed to trial prescribing models within integrated primary care services.

Photo credit: gettyimages

Independent prescribing: Pathfinder programme evaluation to be completed by autumn, says Kinnock

Health minister Stephen Kinnock has revealed that the evaluation of the Community Pharmacy Independent Prescribing Pathfinder Programme could be completed by Autumn 2025.

Kinnock was responding to a question from James Naish, Labour MP for Rushcliffe, who asked what steps the minister was taking to ensure continued support for the Pathfinder Programme and independent prescribing to maximise direct prescribing capacity in England.

Keep ReadingShow less
NHS pharmacy funding not enough 2025: £3.073B deal with £1.99B gap fuels reform debate.

Funding alone isn’t going to be enough to save community pharmacy

Photo credit: gettyimages

New funding contract ‘not enough’ to release the sector from financial blackhole

After almost a year without an agreement, a new funding contract for community pharmacy was finally announced yesterday (31 March).

The settlement raises the baseline annual funding for the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) in 2025/26 to £3.073 billion, with an additional £215 million secured to continue Pharmacy First and other Primary Care Recovery Plan services.

Keep ReadingShow less
Free morning-after pill at pharmacies to end postcode lottery for patients

Pharmacy technicians will be allowed to supply of drospirenone for contraception under PGD,

gettyimages

Pharmacy contract: Free morning-after pill to be available at pharmacies soon

The UK government has announced that, for the first time ever, the ‘morning-after pill’ or emergency contraceptive pill will be available free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS, ending the postcode lottery women face in accessing the medicine and reducing inequalities.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed a record £3.073 billion funding package for community pharmacies in 2025/26, alongside an additional £215 million to sustain Pharmacy First and other Primary Care Recovery Plan services.

Keep ReadingShow less
Royal College status: The PDA calls for ‘meaningful and collaborative dialogue’

The profession’s success will depend on collaboration across all sectors, says PDA.

gettyimages

Royal College vote: Less than 7% of GB pharmacists in favour, says PDA

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has criticised the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) for moving too quickly to a ballot on its proposed transition to a Royal College, arguing that it resulted in low participation from pharmacists in Great Britain.

Announcing the results of the special resolution vote, the RPS said that the outcome was a “clear mandate” in favour of the transformative change.

Keep ReadingShow less
RPS Wales calls for urgent investment in pharmacy workforce at Senedd meeting

Third from the left: Eluned Morgan, First Minister of Wales

Photo credit: RPS

Invest in pharmacy workforce: RPS Wales urges Senedd members

Members of the Senedd (MSs) were briefed on the increasing pressures facing pharmacy teams and the urgent need for action to support their health and wellbeing at an event hosted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Wales.

The event, held on Wednesday, brought together MSs, including first minister Eluned Morgan, to discuss the findings of RPS’ latest Workforce Wellbeing Survey.

Keep ReadingShow less