COMMUNITY pharmacists and GPs in north Durham are urging residents to ask about medicines.

A week-long campaign ending today in Derwentside has been encouraging patients and carers to consider different treatments.

According to the Derwentside Primary Care Trust, about 70 per cent of patients are taking medicines at any given time. But half the medicines prescribed for long-term conditions are not taken as prescribed.

Lee Middleton, medicines management project facilitator for Derwentside Primary Care Trust, said: "We hope to help people understand medicines better and explain that their GP or pharmacist are happy for them to ask questions."