Redbridge doctors and nurses are asking people to think more carefully about the medicines they use.
The Department of Health estimates that nearly £40million is lost each year in London through wasted medicines.
Dr Anil Mehta, Chair of The Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Please only order medicines that you need and take your medication with you if you need to go into hospital.
“If you are a patient with a repeat prescription, think about what you are ordering and only ask for what you really need and are running out of."
Dr Mehta says the money being lost on wasted medicine in London could be used to pay for an extra 1,548 nurses.
Once medicines have been dispensed they cannot be recycled.
Dr Mehta added: “If you have unwanted medicines at home, they need to go back to the pharmacy for safe disposal.”
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