Your Medicines

The use of medicines is the most common therapeutic intervention carried out in the NHS, so the majority of services provided commissioned by a Primary Care Trust (PCT) will involve medicines. Up to 20 % of PCT funds are spent on purchasing medicines and medicines services.

Most of us take medicines at some point in our lives, whether for a one-off illness or a long-term condition. Many of the medicines available today are powerful drugs developed through years of research and are designed to be used in specific ways to achieve maximum effects. All medicines used in the UK have passed rigorous tests, but they can still be harmful, or ineffective, if used in the wrong way.

On average, 70% of the UK population are on prescription or over-the-counter medicine at any one time, but up to 50% of people don't use their medicines as prescribed.