A review, ordered by the government in 2018 and published this week, concludes that overprescribing is a major problem.
The review found that one in 10 drugs dispensed by GPs and pharmacists are pointless and potentially harmful. Moreover around one in five hospital admissions in over-65s are caused by the adverse effects of medicines – the more medicines someone takes, the greater the risk of unwanted or harmful effects.
Government ministers are likely to order a crackdown on overprescribing, with GPs being told to boost the use of social prescribing, such as gardening, walking or volunteering. GPs are also to be encouraged to call millions of patients in for overdue medication reviews
Guardian report at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/sep/22/government-review-finds-10-of-drugs-dispensed-in-england-are-pointless.