A CAMPAIGN urging patients not to waste prescription medicines was launched yesterday.
Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust is running the Don't Save for a Rainy Day scheme after one patient returned more than £1,500 worth of unused and out-of-date medicines.
Health bosses estimate millions of tablets are stockpiled in cupboards, costing the trust thousands each year in wastage.
Hoarding pills is also dangerous. The trust estimates about half of all poisoning cases in the district involve medicines.
Steven Campbell, medicines management project manager for the trust, said: "We hope that the campaign will help patients to better understand their repeat prescriptions and to talk to their GP surgery if they stop taking their medication."
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