The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), which oversees the NHS, estimates that at least 10% of prescriptions - 100 million items - aren't needed.
This happens for a number of reasons. You may have been taking something to treat an ailment that's already improved, but were never told to stop. Perhaps one doctor didn't know what another had prescribed you. Or it could be that simple lifestyle changes might have had a similar effect.
Overprescribing has consequences for patients as individuals, and for the NHS as a whole. According to a DHSC review in 2021, adverse reactions to drugs cause around 6.5% of hospital admissions. Two thirds of these were preventable. And prescribing medications on a large scale eats into the health service's already stretched budget.
It's particularly important as we get older, as you're more likely to get landed with multiple meds.
Medication is, of course, vital for the health of a huge number of people, but it's important to take an active role and pay close attention to what you're prescribed, so you know why you're taking it, what your options are and how to ensure it can work at its best.
Tips for living well:Get to grips with what you're taking and why
Pharmacist Michael Line says taking an active role in your treatment is important. There's a 'blind assumption' that doctors get everything right, he says. But things get missed.
Pharmacies make errors, too: some 43,452 prescription errors were recorded by NHS England in 2021. So check you get the drugs you're expecting when you collect them.
The first step to managing your medications is knowing what you're taking. Line says: 'It's frightening that some people don't know the names of their medications - or why they're taking them.'
What to ask
A lot comes down to asking the right questions when you're first prescribed a new medicine. Rachel Power, chief executive at the Patients Association, emphasises the importance of the partnership between the patient and the prescriber, suggesting you ask four key questions:
It's also always worth flagging any herbal or alternative health supplements you are taking, in case they have any known interactions with new drugs.
Review your meds regularly
Doctors will typically monitor any patients on potentially risky medication closely, and some practices will take a proactive approach to contacting patients about their medication if they haven't checked in for a while.
However, Peter Christian, Haringey interim clinical lead (and former GP), says that current pressures on general practice might make it harder for the workforce to find time for this.
If you have any concerns about your medication, or how different ones may interact with each other, you can book an appointment with your local GP practice yourself. Ask for a medication review and you might be assigned an appointment with a GP, or an in-house pharmacist if there is one.
- we look into what's going on and how to get seenBe alert to how new medicines make you feel
Some medicines can take time to get used to, or cause initial side effects, but they may also not agree with you for whatever reason.
If you've started a new medication and something doesn't seem right don't suffer in silence, follow up with your GP and discuss your options.
Try to avoid starting a new medication regime just before a big trip if possible, so that you can resolve any teething issues while on home ground.
Read the information leaflet (but don't let it scare you off)
Part of your due diligence when taking a new medication is reading the information leaflet that comes with it. But if you never take yours out of the box, you're not alone.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that less than 30% of patients worldwide read these leaflets. And those who do often find the list of potential side effects offputting.
According to one study in Germany, some people actually stop taking their medication altogether, due to fear of these side effects.
But the scariest potential effects are usually comparatively rare, and medical trials will have been carried out before a drug becomes available.
Your prescriber will have also weighed up the risks and benefits of any prescription you're given. However, if you have any concerns after reading the leaflet, talk to your local pharmacist or go back to the prescriber for reassurance.
Later life care:Keep track of your meds
If you've got multiple tablets to take every day - especially ones that need to be taken at specific times or with food - then establishing a routine is helpful.
Hundreds of Which? members shared their tips with us for remembering when to take their meds. Tying it to a routine was popular, while one used mnemonics to remember which to take when. Others used a spreadsheet, either printed out to tick off with a pen or filled out digitally each day.
Daily pillboxes are an option, although Thorrun Govind, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Association in England, isn't a fan. With pillboxes, you have to separate the tablets from their information leaflets and protective packaging, so she recommends other methods. One member found a way around this: cut up sheets of pills and put them in the box unpopped.
Blood pressure:Don't be afraid to ask about your options
One Which? member we spoke to has a neurological condition so rare that she wrote the Wikipedia page on it herself. She had trouble getting the right treatment from GPs, who aren't always familiar with it. Recently, she signed up to a private trial of medicinal cannabis, which she felt might be better to treat her condition with fewer side effects.
Taking part in a medical trial won't be for everyone, but if you're looking for alternatives to your current treatment, it's worth discussing with your doctor.
You can ask about anything, from the type of drug you're taking to the way you're taking it. For example, if you struggle to swallow pills, ask about a soluble version instead.
NHS waiting times:Stopping sensibly
If, for whatever reason, you decide that you want to stop taking a drug you've been prescribed, it's crucial that you talk to your GP or consultant about the safest way to do so.
Going 'cold turkey' on prescription medications could lead to unpleasant or dangerous side effects as some need to be stopped in a gradual, tapered way, or under the supervision of your GP.
Don't chuck meds in the bin
Don't just throw any leftover pills away - or worse, chuck them down the drain. Take them to a pharmacy, which will be able to dispose of them safely. This reduces the risk of harm to others as well as the environment.
Can you recycle empty medicine packets?
Pills are typically sealed in plastic blister packs for safety, but unfortunately these are hard to recycle. Some are all foil, and these can go in the recycling.
You can chuck the paper outer box in the recycling bin too, just remember to remove the label with your details on first.
Superdrug now operates a blister pack recycling scheme, so you can take empty packs there. Inhalers should also be taken to your pharmacy for recycling, rather than binned.
- and easy ways to get more in your dietsource https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/on-medication-heres-why-you-need-to-be-proactive-about-managing-it-aNsX00y6DaC7