Medicines strategy
Helping people across the North East and North Cumbria live longer and healthier lives
Across our region we have a ten-year plan to ensure 'Better health and wellbeing for all' our communities. This plan sets out our four key goals to help people live longer, healthier lives and tackle the region's biggest killers, reduce inequalities and improve health and care services.
While we have made good progress in some key areas overall, public health in our region is still amongst the worst in the country and there is still more to do.
Our medicines strategic delivery plan will be a key part in helping us achieve these goals and tackle the challenges that we face in our region. Read our medicines strategy summary below and share your views.
Share your views
We are seeking the views of healthcare professionals and voluntary sector partners working with communities affected by our proposed medicines strategy.
Let us know what you think by completing the following survey, before 14 February 2025 - Medicines strategy survey
You can also get in touch with any further views or ask us to present our plans by contacting nencicb-sun.mo@nhs.net
Following feedback, the plan will be discussed at the ICB Board meeting in March for final approval. The plan will then be put into action with continued engagement with the public and healthcare providers.
Why do medicines matter?
Medicines play a crucial role in helping people stay healthier for longer and, in many cases, allow them to live a better life.
They are constantly evolving, with new treatments being developed all the time, helping to treat many health problems that we couldn't in the past.
Medicines can treat illnesses, reduce pain, and even save lives. For example, statins help lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease, while antidepressants can support people struggling with their mental health by helping to reduce anxiety and improve emotional wellbeing.
Some medicines help in the treatment of diseases like cancer, allowing people to live longer. Others, like weight-loss treatments, are being developed to help tackle health problems like obesity and medicines play a key role in helping people manage both short-term and long-term pain.
Medicines are also one of the biggest costs to the NHS, with £17.4 billion spent on them every year. For every £7 the NHS spends, £1 goes towards medicines, making them the most widely used treatment given to patients.
Our plan supports our goals of keeping people healthier and out of hospital, whenever possible, making the most of available resources and ensuring patients get the right medicines at the right time.
We will do this by focusing on better teamwork between different parts of the health system, safer prescribing, and making sure medicines are used in the best way for patients.
By improving how we manage medicines, we can make healthcare safer and better for everyone.
The following sets out a summary of what's in our plan and its key priorities - from improving treatments for heart disease, diabetes and asthma to reducing over reliance on pain medicines and antibiotics for better management of medicines.
So, what's our plan about, what are we trying to achieve?
Our medicines strategic delivery plan aims to make sure medicines are used wisely to keep people, living in our region, healthier for longer.
By focusing on prevention, better prescribing, patient safety and best value for money, we can help improve care for everyone across the North East and North Cumbria.
Our plan focuses on...
- Using medicines only when needed by cutting down on overprescribing to avoid unnecessary side effects.
- Reducing medicine waste, helping to save the NHS money and protect the environment.
- Providing the right treatment for each person, by ensuring care is personalised and fair.
- Preventing illnesses through encouraging better long-term health rather than just treating symptoms.
- Helping patients make informed choices by making sure people understand why they are taking their medicines and how to use them properly. But also involving them in decisions about their medicines.
Our aims
- Improve healthcare by making sure medicines are used safely and effectively.
- Make healthcare fairer so that everyone gets the right medicines, no matter their background.
- Help people manage their health better to prevent illness rather than just treating it later.
- Involve patients in decision making about their health and treatments.
- Save NHS money and make the best use of resources - for example, by reducing unnecessary prescribing and medicine waste to help fund better healthcare treatments.
The challenges
- More people needing treatment
- New complex medicines
- Over prescribing - some people take medicines they don’t need or want.
- Health inequalities - people from poorer areas or minority groups often have worse health and may not receive the right treatments.
- Overuse of drugs - some medicines, like painkillers and antibiotics, are overused, leading to serious health risks.
- Better prevention of illness - many health problems could be prevented with better care and lifestyle changes helping people enjoy longer, healthier lives.
Our key priorities
Reducing overprescribing
- Around 10% of medicines are unnecessary, costing up to £300m a year.
- Too many people take multiple medicines (polypharmacy), increasing their risk of side effects and hospital visits.
- We will work to stop excessive prescribing and help patients reduce medicines safely.
Reduce overuse of antibiotics
- Overuse of antibiotics can make infections harder to treat in the future (antibiotic resistance).
- Almost 20% of antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary.
- We will work with patients and doctors to ensure antibiotics are only used, when necessary, at the right dose, and for the right length of time.
Reduce dependence on pain medicines (opioids and NSAIDs)
- Many people take strong pain medication (like opioids) for a long time, even when they may not help.
- 120,000 people across NENC use opioids, with nearly 97,000 taking them for over six months.
- We will promote safer alternatives and ensure patients are reviewed regularly.
Better treatment for heart disease and diabetes
- 24% of deaths in the North East are caused by cardiovascular disease (CVD).
- More than 65,000 people at high risk of CVD are not receiving the right treatment.
- We will focus on better treatment for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes to help prevent serious conditions.
Reduce respiratory admissions medicines (lung conditions)
- The North East has high rates of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with many people relying on quick-relief inhalers instead taking medicines that prevent breathing problems.
- We will help patients use inhalers correctly and switch to greener options where possible and improve treatment to help lower hospital visits for breathing problems.
Mental health medicines
- More than 10% of people in our region take antidepressants for a long period of time.
- Many people stay on antidepressants for too long without regular reviews.
- Our plan encourages better mental health support with more non-medical treatments, such as therapy and lifestyle changes.