More than 1.6 million prescriptions were handed out by Bailiwick pharmacies last year.

The Prescribing Support Unit's annual report shows that the basic cost of drugs for the Bailiwick in 2022 was £21.77M - up 0.5% on 2021.

The PSU says drug costs rise year on year due to the increased prescribing of new medicines and more expensive drugs being available to prescribe. 

The average cost of a single prescription, which is subsidised by the States, was £13.16.

Over the past two years there's been a 5% and 6% increase in 'paid for' prescriptions. The PSU says this is unusual as normally there's no growth in this area.

Unwanted and unused medicines are still being returned to pharmacies in large quantities. Prescribing Adviser Geraldine O’Riordan says one of the the PSU's key aims is to reduce drug wastage because it's expensive and medicines tend to have a large carbon footprint:

"I would appeal to islanders to continue to cross off unwanted items on prescriptions. If your prescription is kept on file in the pharmacy, please tell the staff that you have stopped or have enough of that medicine. If you are concerned about the number of medicines you are taking, please discuss this with your doctor when you are next reviewed."