More than £1,000-worth of unused medicine has been removed from the home of a pensioner couple in Tendring.
The haul was taken away after a community nurse became concerned that the couple were not taking their medication properly and were storing old, unused medicines.
A pharmacist for the North East Essex Primary Care Trust said the discovery was one of the biggest hauls discovered in the district.
The find typifies the problem the PCT faces with medicines wastage, which may cost the trust up to £5 million a year.
He said: "The problem has arisen because the couple, for a long time, have been ticking all the boxes on the repeat prescription forms and haven't always taken their medication as intended."
He added: "We've highlighted this particular case to the GP practice and the community pharmacist, who will help them in the future to take their medicine correctly."
He explained this particular case illustrated the issues facing the PCT when it comes to reducing medicines' wastage.
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