Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has received national recognition for its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of unnecessarily supplied medicines.
The Medicines Assessment for Discharge (MA4D) scheme, which checks what medicines a patient already has at home as well as what medicines they have available in hospital when they are ready to go home, was named a finalist in the HFMA National Healthcare Finance Awards Environmental Sustainability Award.
Under the scheme, pharmacy and nursing teams have been trained to ensure medicines supplied to patients when returning home reflect only what they genuinely need, avoiding duplication.
A total of 1,849 fewer medicines were dispensed in January 2025 alone, compared to the previous January. This reduction in waste saved an estimated £55k during the first five-months, as well as reducing the environmental impact of the medicines involved.
The project’s medicines waste prevention saved 77 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2025 - the equivalent to driving 193,000 miles in an average petrol car. This figure was based on an estimate of annual savings achieved by the scheme. The scheme has also improved patient experience by allowing medicines to be ready earlier for patients to leave hospital.
Fiona Watson, Principal Pharmacist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Medicines account for a quarter of all NHS emissions, with unnecessary resupply at discharge a leading contributor to waste and increased NHS costs, so we are delighted that our Medicines Assessment for Discharge scheme has been recognised nationally. The scheme enables staff to work closely with patients, carers, and other agencies to avoid resupplying medicines that are already available at home, reducing the risk associated with stockpiled or out-of-date medication. It has also supported safer and quicker discharge which is good for both staff and patients.”
Rachel Morris, Head of Sustainability at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Minimising medicines waste is essential for making healthcare more sustainable. We were proud to have been named a finalist for this prestigious award, which recognises teams who spend public funds wisely while supporting a greener NHS and improving patient care.”
The HFMA National Healthcare Finance Awards programme recognises and celebrates the work of finance teams and individuals from across the UK.