Only Order What You Need

Last year, patients across Dorset helped prevent 65,000 medicines from being wasted—just by only ordering what they needed. Let’s do it again.

Why it matters:


Stay Well:
Medicines expire. Keeping large stocks at home increases the risk of using ineffective or unnecessary medication.

Stay Safe:
Leftover medicines can be harmful if taken by someone else, especially children or pets.

Stay Green:
Medicines can’t be reused once they leave the pharmacy. Unused medicines should be returned to your pharmacy to prevent environmental harm.

What you can do:

  • Check before you order. Only request medicines you need right now.
  • Open your bag at the pharmacy. You can return any extras immediately.
  • Talk to your pharmacy team. Let them know if something has changed.
  • Going to hospital? Bring your current medicines and a list of how you take them.

Together, we can cut down waste and protect health, resources, and the environment.