About four tonnes of drugs were destroyed in Southampton

In Southampton alone, it is estimated that four tonnes of medicines valued at more than �1m had to be destroyed last year.

Six NHS trusts in Hampshire have combined to urge people to consult their doctor or pharmacist before ordering repeat prescriptions.

A series of posters will be appearing in GP surgeries and pharmacies with tips on how to make the most of their medicines.

Hip operations

Julia Bowey, head of pharmacy services for Southampton City Primary Care Trust, said: "People can help by, for example, not over-ordering asthma inhalers, creams, or pain killers, as medicines returned to pharmacies cannot be given to another patient even if the pack is completely unopened.

"They all have to be destroyed - last year in Southampton alone that happened to around �1m worth of unused medicines, weighing about four tonnes in all.

"That �1m last year could have paid for more than 200 hip operations."

Patients are being urged to talk to their GPs about their medication so they know when, why and how they should take the drugs prescribed for them.