With the last May bank holiday fast approaching, doctors are urging patients to check they have enough medicines to see them through the holiday period.

If you need new supplies, be sure to order them in enough time to collect them before the bank holiday weekend.

On Friday, most GP practices will close in the evening and will not open again until the following Tuesday morning, when they are likely to be much busier than usual.

National research data suggests that around £3 million a year is being spent on medicines prescribed to patients in west Hertfordshire which are not used.

Before requesting medications, you should check your medicines cupboard first to see if you have enough stock that is in date. You don’t need to order a medicine every month to keep it on your repeat prescription list.

Dr Daniel Carlton-Conway, Board GP and Clinical Lead for medicines optimisation at NHS Herts Valleys CCG said: “It’s really important that people take their prescribed medicines correctly. If for some reason you are not taking a regular medicine that has been prescribed, do tell a pharmacist, GP or nurse, as this could have a serious impact on your health.

“If you have a supply of unwanted or out-of-date medicines, please return them to a pharmacy so that they can be safely destroyed. Never put medicines in the bin or flush them away.”