Patients in parts of Devon are wasting �4m a year taking drugs they do not need, according to health officials.

The North Devon Primary Care Trust says the money could be used elsewhere, and it has been chosen as part of a national scheme to target medicine more carefully.

More than �12,500 is wasted on medicines in the area every day, the trust says.

It is looking at ways to review medication use, particularly among the elderly.

Repeat prescriptions

At the moment, all practices review prescriptions every year for patients over 75, but now the trust says it is going to pay closer attention to those who are 65 and older.

As well as the concerns about repeat prescriptions, the trust says many patients do not know what drugs they are taking.

Others have problems with simple things such as understanding the directions on containers.

Five GP practices have been chosen to take part in a pilot project aimed at increasing safety and reducing waste.