As a health practitioner with nearly 20 years of experience, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating consequences of over-prescription. My mother, an elderly patient herself, was left on unnecessary medication that affected her central nervous system (CNS), leading to Parkinson's - a condition caused by CNS imbalance. This is not an isolated incident; in my practice alone, I have seen over 11,000 clients and far too many are suffering conditions directly caused by the side-effects of medications they no longer need.

Currently, there is only guidance in place to monitor prescription medications which leaves room for misinterpretation or neglect by prescribers. There is no accountability for over-prescribing and this has led to repeat prescriptions that patients do not need. This places a significant drain on our National Health Service (NHS) resources and more importantly, jeopardises patient health.

According to research from King's College London (2018), inappropriate prescribing has been linked to up to 2% of all hospital admissions in England each year. The same study found that one in three older people are prescribed potentially inappropriate drugs. That's a shocking statistic!

We urgently call upon healthcare regulators and policymakers to implement strict policies - not just guidance -  for monitoring prescription medications. These policies should ensure accountability among prescribers and protect patients from unnecessary harm due to over-prescription or misuse of medication.

Please sign this petition if you believe in safeguarding our loved ones from the dangers of inappropriate prescribing practices.