Wasted medicines are costing Jersey‘s Health and Care Department half a million pounds each year, according to recent government data.
Islanders are being asked to manage their prescriptions more carefully – with Health Care Jersey saying waste remains a “significant issue” with big cost, resource, and environmental implications.
The campaign has been launched as the island’s Health Minister, Senator Tom Binet, told the Jersey Evening Post that islanders may have to start paying for prescriptions to help meet rising costs.
Whilst prescriptions have been free in Jersey since 2008, Senator Binet said he “did not believe the policy was ever a wise one”.
The island’s free prescriptions scheme costs over 25 million pounds per year to run – but with £500,000 of that lost on unused medicines, the possible introduction of prescription charges could be a way to tackle the waste problem.
Across the UK, almost 10% of all dispensed medicines are ultimately wasted.
However, prescriptions are not free everywhere.
Whilst Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland run free prescriptions schemes similar to Jersey’s, in England they cost £9.90.
In Guernsey, patients are charged £5.40 per prescription, and in the Isle of Man they cost £3.85.
Jersey pharmacist Stephen Orme says the question of charging for prescriptions is a “difficult” one, and any kind of charge would have to be introduced with great caution.
Jersey pharmacist Stephen Orme says unused medicines are a problem for pharmacies – but he wouldn’t want charges to act as a ‘deterrant’. Credit: ITV Channel
He told ITV News there are rising costs to consider – with pharmacies currently paid a fee of £3.96 by the government to dispense medications, which they must use to cover all overhead costs including staff, rent, and electricity.
However, he adds: “I feel if you’ve got an illness, it’s not something that you choose to have – it’s not a luxury that should be taxed”.
Stephen says when he worked in England he felt the cost of dispensing prescriptions acted as a “deterrent” for patients, with some “unable to afford to pay for all the items”.
ITV News has contacted Health Care Jersey to better understand what a potential paid-for prescriptions scheme might look like, and is waiting for a response.
Meanwhile, Health Care Jersey are asking islanders to help reduce waste by:
Only ordering required medicines;
Not stockpiling medicines – as expired products may no longer work properly;
Checking prescription bags before leaving the pharmacy;
Having regular GP check-ups to ensure prescriptions are still suitable.
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