SusQI Project - Reducing Wastage in the Medicines Pathway

This project was part of the 2023 Green Team Competition at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust, implemented by colleagues from our Pharmacy team.

Team Members:

• Tessa Dadley, Lead Technician - Procurement and Goods-Receipt
• Colin Foy, Pharmacy Operations Manager
• Louise Foy-Coley, Lead Technician - Dispensary, Distribution and Training
• Sarah Welsby, Lead Technician - Ward-Based Medicines Management

Project Aims:

Short-term: explore the scope of dispensed items and use this data to propose initiatives/changes to working practices to reduce the number of items unnecessarily dispensed.

Long-term: implement proposed initiatives/changes to working practices to reduce the number of items unnecessarily dispensed, saving money, carbon, staff time and reducing the number of inpatient missed doses.

Results:

In the month data was collected there were 243 re-dispensed items. A reduction of 10% would result in the following savings:

Financial

Total savings from drug cost and staff time spent dispensing and accuracy-checking is estimated at £9,600 each year.

Environmental

Savings of 1,228.8kgCO2e per year, equivalent to driving 3,629 miles in an average car - a return journey from Aberdeen to Naples.

Clinical

Savings of up to 16 hours of staff time each month, allowing staff to redirect their time to higher value activities.