The saga of disposing of a 'sharps' box.

[Marnie63]

While caring for mum, we were issued with a box by the District Nurses for any needles used for testing blood sugar levels and blood tests. I have slowly been clearing stuff out of the house after mum's death and finally got round to popping the box back to our surgery (as instructed by the GP a few months ago). I was told by the receptionist that they don't take them any more and was given a sheet with a number of the local council so that I could arrange for them to collect it. But I live just across the border in a different county and, as expected, the council which the surgery belongs to has said they can't collect. OK, get that. Now I have phoned my local council. Their website says you need a referral from a GP for the collection. I emailed them, explaining that mum has passed away and that I just need to get rid of this one box. Suggested a referral for someone who has died is a bit weird. But they have come back saying I need this referral! I haven't yet contacted the DNs, but remembering how busy they were, I guess this won't be top of their list. No doubt my surgery won't have the required form anyway as their process is to ring the council direct!

Does anyone know of any other way of getting rid of these things? I can see this turning into a ridiculously drawn own process.

 

[Duggies-girl]

While caring for mum, we were issued with a box by the District Nurses for any needles used for testing blood sugar levels and blood tests. I have slowly been clearing stuff out of the house after mum's death and finally got round to popping the box back to our surgery (as instructed by the GP a few months ago). I was told by the receptionist that they don't take them any more and was given a sheet with a number of the local council so that I could arrange for them to collect it. But I live just across the border in a different county and, as expected, the council which the surgery belongs to has said they can't collect. OK, get that. Now I have phoned my local council. Their website says you need a referral from a GP for the collection. I emailed them, explaining that mum has passed away and that I just need to get rid of this one box. Suggested a referral for someone who has died is a bit weird. But they have come back saying I need this referral! I haven't yet contacted the DNs, but remembering how busy they were, I guess this won't be top of their list. No doubt my surgery won't have the required form anyway as their process is to ring the council direct!

Does anyone know of any other way of getting rid of these things? I can see this turning into a ridiculously drawn own process.

 

[Marnie63]

Just heard back from my Council - seems they won't take it as GP is out of county! What a farce. No wonder people dump things (not that I'm planning to do that!). I guess I could turn the small yellow box into an attractive planter for the garden (!), but what do I do with the needles inside?

 

[Duggies-girl]

When I worked in a hospital people would often turn up with exactly the same problem. We would just take the sharps box and put it in a bigger one which when full and sealed would be incinerated.

After some years of doing this we were told that we should no longer accept personal sharps boxes and we should refer the relative to the local council. As the relative had invariably been to the local council we would quietly stick the offending article in a bigger sharps bin that would be subsequently sealed and incinerated.

We knew it was not allowed but we considered it safer than having some understandably fed up relative throwing in the nearest skip. This has happened.

Common sense prevailed but sadly it seems to have disappeared under a sea of unbreakable rules and regulations.

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

Would your local chemist take it? I know they take unused drugs, etc.

I've often found my local pharmacist has a better attitude than the GP

 

[Ohso]

Probably not the best idea, but I am fast approaching the opinion that life is getting too difficult to sweat the small stuff, I would be inclined to remove all identifying marks and either drop them at the GP surgery or post them in a securely wrapped box, if you cant bring yourself to do that surely you would be able to drop them at the local hospital, they must have bulk disposal for sharps..

 

[Duggies-girl]

May I add that this is a stupid situation. I bet it is only a little bin.

Gp surgeries generally have large bins and hospitals have sharps bins the size of dust bins. It is such a simple thing to do and solves the problem.

You just have to speak to the right person, the one with common sense is best but they are getting hard to find nowadays.

 

[karaokePete]

I second the local pharmacy - that's where I disposed of a sharps box that my wife used.

 

[karaokePete]

Does your area have any needle exchange/disposal facilities for drug users? If so, maybe that could be used.

 

[Duggies-girl]

Does your area have any needle exchange/disposal facilities for drug users? If so, maybe that could be used.

That's a good idea @karaokePete they may Infact have a bit more sense and sympathy.

 

[Marnie63]

Thanks everyone. I can try the pharmacy. Such a small thing, but so much effort to achieve it! If I complete the mission, I will advise.

 

[70smand]

I sympathise with you on this one, but I think the reason no one wants to take them is all down to cost of disposal. The DN or team who supplied it should be able to dispose of it, I’m not sure a pharmacy would but it’s worth a try.

 

[jugglingmum]

I had injections supplied on prescription, and a sharps box (think given at the hospital) and the sharps box went back to the pharmacy that I collected the injections from - was a 10 month period so a pharmacy might be the best.

This was 14 years ago - the only issue that arose was when I went into hospital and they had no idea how to deal with it and got grotty that I was administering it myself, and that I buzzed for a sharps bin each time I used one, you would think a hospital would cope!

 

[Lady M]

Just to say in this area unfortunately pharmacy’s will not accept!
As the DN is visiting to give OH insulin injections , so I have to say I ask them to dispose of!
The local council is now charging for disposal!!!!!which I find disgusting.
Personally I would expect any hospital to dispose of free of charge.
I trust you will find someone to offer you the best means of disposal in your case.
Sorting out is distressing enough, without being pushed from pillar to post, especially as you’re trying to do the right thing,
Best Of luck!!!

 

[Beate]

And they wonder why people simply stick stuff into their household bin!

Hope you'll get it sorted.

 

[Amy in the US]

I agree that this is frustrating and unnecessarily complicated. I understand the concerns of disposing of sharps, but yes, this is why people just dump them!

I hope you can locate someone with half an ounce of common sense and compassion. Are there any nurses or social workers or similar you worked with, when your mum was ill, whom you might contact? Have you asked your own GP directly (not the receptionist or nurse), if they might help you out?

I also wondered about a needle exchange/disposal programme.

Or do you have a friend or neighbour or know anyone who works in the medical field who could help?

This is the sort of issue that should be minor, but turns into a major problem. I hope you find a solution.

How are you otherwise?

 

[Marnie63]

When I worked in a hospital people would often turn up with exactly the same problem. We would just take the sharps box and put it in a bigger one which when full and sealed would be incinerated.

After some years of doing this we were told that we should no longer accept personal sharps boxes and we should refer the relative to the local council. As the relative had invariably been to the local council we would quietly stick the offending article in a bigger sharps bin that would be subsequently sealed and incinerated.

We knew it was not allowed but we considered it safer than having some understandably fed up relative throwing in the nearest skip. This has happened.

Common sense prevailed but sadly it seems to have disappeared under a sea of unbreakable rules and regulations.

I agree @Duggies-girl, common sense does not seem so common these days. Good to hear you did what you did. It seems so bizarre that something which is issued as part of the health need is not then accepted back to the health area which issued it. I guess it is probably down to cost, but surely it's better for the NHS to take these things back than for them to be disposed of unsafely by folk frustrated by the lack of returns process. I had a sling (for a hoist) and a bed pan, which a helpful physio handed to me on the ward just before mum was discharged home after her stroke. I took this back to the ward myself and the ward clerk that I left it with was very grateful that I had returned the items and said they would be put to good use. No refusals due to infection control issues or lack of returns procedure!

 

[Marnie63]

I tried the local pharmacy this afternoon, but no can do. They suggested trying a chemist miles away (errr, no, I'm not driving for miles on a whim, to possibly be told no can do again). Then a lady waiting for her prescription piped up with a suggestion of another pharmacy that "used to take them a few years ago" but again, I'm not driving around and carrying this thing up and down the high street with no guarantee that I'll get shot of it.

The man at Council No. 2 (the area I live in) has emailed me back to say he will see if there is anything they can to do 'help me out'. Maybe this is someone with a bit of common sense. We'll see. I could try the District Nurses, but will see what the Council man comes back with first. At least he seems to be trying to help.

I could break the yellow box up into smaller pieces and stuff it in with my household waste, but am not comfortable doing this with the needles. Actually most of them are those things you prick your finger with for a diabetic test. Those could go in a bin, but I know there's one needle in there from when they took mum's blood. Maybe I can keep that as a gruesome souvenir if I can't get rid of it?!

 

[Marnie63]

I agree that this is frustrating and unnecessarily complicated. I understand the concerns of disposing of sharps, but yes, this is why people just dump them!

I hope you can locate someone with half an ounce of common sense and compassion. Are there any nurses or social workers or similar you worked with, when your mum was ill, whom you might contact? Have you asked your own GP directly (not the receptionist or nurse), if they might help you out?

I also wondered about a needle exchange/disposal programme.

Or do you have a friend or neighbour or know anyone who works in the medical field who could help?

This is the sort of issue that should be minor, but turns into a major problem. I hope you find a solution.

How are you otherwise?

Hi @Amy in the US. Hope you are doing OK. I will try the District Nurses if the Council route doesn't work and it was the GP who told me to bring them back to the surgery! I think my surgery has an on line enquiry thingy, so I could try that too - refer to what the GP told me and tell them how ridiculous this is. What waste of everyone's time.

I'm doing OK, considering, but think I still have some way to go before I am 'normal' again. I am missing mum so much. I knew when she was alive how precious she was to me, but now that she's gone, my goodness, it hurts so much. Watching dementia distort her and make her so ill, and all the indignities that it inflicted on her, bless her heart. Memories of all of that are still far too fresh. I also feel so alone now, she was my only family 'anchor'. There is no one now, just me. It's a very strange and hard feeling. I know I will get used to it .. I have to, but some days are still very hard. I read about your forthcoming adventure and hope I catch arrangements and don't miss out! I owe @Beate a glass of Champagne. Maybe I can catch up with you both in London one day and make that three!

On a positive front I am visiting a great friend this weekend and know she will look after me well and we will have lots of laughs. (Maybe I should take the sharps box with me and try to find somewhere to dispose of it on my travels?!)