Stock rotation: a five-minute habit that prevents write-offs
First in, first out. Simple, and almost universally ignored until something expires.
Dressings expire. Any organisation holding stock needs a rotation habit or it will be throwing money away periodically.
First in, first out
New stock goes behind existing stock, always. If new deliveries get put at the front because it is easier, you will consistently use the newest and expire the oldest.
Make dates visible
Write the expiry month in marker on the end of each carton at goods-in. Reading a date from three feet away is what makes rotation actually happen.
Set a review point
Quarterly for a busy site, twice yearly for a low-use one. Pull anything expiring within three months to the front and plan to consume it.
Order in proportion to use
Persistent expiry is a signal that order quantities are wrong, not that staff are careless. Recalculate from actual consumption.
Record what you hold
Even a simple sheet listing product, batch, quantity and expiry gives you a recall response and an audit trail.
See a pharmacist, GP or urgent care if a wound will not stop bleeding after ten minutes of firm pressure, is deep or gaping, was caused by something dirty or rusty, contains anything you cannot flush out, or shows spreading redness, heat, swelling, pus or a fever. Get help urgently for animal or human bites, wounds over a joint, and any wound in someone with diabetes or poor circulation.
Shop the range
FitMedix products are CE-marked medical devices intended for the care of minor wounds. This site does not provide medical advice — seek professional help for deep, dirty or non-healing wounds, or if signs of infection appear. Always read the instructions on the pack.