Plymouth health action zone is about to start work on two strands of prescribing-related policy via its lead pharmacist and the coterminous local primary care group.

The first is a project to improve medication management, especially among elderly and mental health patients. In collaboration with a number of large pharmaceutical companies, the HAZ hopes to employ a peripatetic pharmacist to improve patient compliance and thus reduce wastage and inappropriate primary and secondary care attendances.

The pharmacist would visit patients in their own homes, or in nursing or residential homes, to help them understand their medicines and reduce drug errors.

The second project would examine how practices and pharmacies within the PCG could work together to cut wastage and use professionals' time more effectively.

One idea is to allow pharmacists to split drug packs when dispensing. Under current professional regulations this is banned, but the HAZ estimates it could produce savings of up to£1m a year for reinvestment.

Another area being looked at is prescribing and dispensing from the limited list, which can be a particular problem in highly deprived areas.

Low-income families who receive free prescriptions, for example, may go to their GP for a prescription for drugs like junior aspirin rather than pay for the medicine over the counter. The team will look at ways of meeting this demand without unnecessarily taking up GP time.