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NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) has revealed about 10,000 medicines dispensed in the community are thrown away each day because they are not needed or have not been taken.

The largest health board in the UK disclosed the figures as it launches a public survey asking for views on its campaign to reduce overprescribing and medicines waste in the healthcare system.

The campaign, launched last year, attempts to get the public and medical professionals to reduce levels of waste.

It asks people to talk to a pharmacist or other health professional about a medicines review, resist the urge to over-order medicines and find out how to dispose of unused medicines.

NHSGGC said £100,000 worth of medicines are thrown away every day, money that would pay for over 40 cataract operations, more than six hip replacements and over four kidney transplants. NHSGGC also said the figure equates to a day’s wages for over 700 nurses or more than 200 hospital consultants.

The survey seeks to understand if respondents are aware of the NHSGGC’s medicines waste campaign, what they thought its aim was and if they thought it has effectively raised public awareness about waste.

The survey, which is confidential and anonymises individuals’ feedback, closes at 5pm on April 9.