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Sharps disposal

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L

Lula

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone,
I know we have had threads about this before, but I can't remember much about them, and after an annoying experience today, I thought I'd start a new one! (also inspired by the 'roll call' to initiate a thread myself!)

I took two full (and tightly sealed) sharps boxes to my GPs surgery today. When I asked the receptionists if they accepted them, they said 'I don't think we take those any more'. After some conferring they remembered that they did in fact take them, and then one of the receptionists made a great show of putting on rubber gloves, and took them off me as if they were hand grenades!!

Where do other people get rid of their sharps boxes? Anyone had any luck at the chemists?

Also, is it really so rare a thing for people to be handing in sharps boxes? I mean, this a busy GP practice - surely they must have encountered such things before?
 
Hi Lula! I have only filled one sharps bin so far. Here in Southampton the council have a collection service - you just ring them up and arrange a date and then leave it out on the doorstep (or you can have them knock on the door if concerned about leaving outside). They leave an empty bin behind.

I would have thought that there is no hardship in a GP surgery accepting them, as they must have lots of sharps themselves to dispose of regularly through the general course of their work. Receptionists often get a bad reputation for being officious, over-dramatic and obstructive. I'm afraid that, in my experience it's a well-deserved reputation, as I've met some extremely unpleasant people performing that job. I'm sure they're not all like that, so don't get mad at me!😱
 
Hi Lula,
I had the same problem 2 weeks ago.
My gp wouldnt accept them and sent me to the chemist - they sent me back to gp - who eventually took them but made it clear that it was only a one off!
I asked if they could find out the right protocol about disposal - they said they would find out and ring me.
They didnt so i rang them on friday and they said that they had changed their minds and could take them after all! I think the woman at your gp was a little over the top putting gloves on!!!
Well done for posting a great question. 🙂Bev
 
i was looking on my local councils website today for something else and happened to notice they had information concerning sharps and clinical waste collections. So it might be worth looking on your local councils website.
 
Northerner said:
Hi Lula! I have only filled one sharps bin so far. Here in Southampton the council have a collection service - you just ring them up and arrange a date and then leave it out on the doorstep (or you can have them knock on the door if concerned about leaving outside). They leave an empty bin behind.
Click to expand...
Same where I am. I just ring up the council and arrange a pickup. They visit on Tuesdays so I have to ring by the Thursday of the week before. I leave the bin out overnight as they arrive anytime between 7am and 7pm I think it is. They also leave me a nice, shiny, new, empty bin for me to fill up. :D

The original bin I got was a small 1 litre thing. The council give me mahoosive 4 litre things. 😎
 
I've got a pathetic 1 litre affair too - I'm not sure how long it's going to last me. My GP says that the chemist will take the full one off my hands but I'm yet to test this out. I've heard a lot of stories of it being a nightmare, so I'm apprehensive!
 
are there many people out there not using sharps bins? I have always struggled with mine (the council dont pick up the phone and then you have to wait in all day between 8-6 which Im not prepared to do) and when I finally met some other people with diabetes, I was suprised to hear they dont use them! They just chuck them in a jar and in the bin (dont get me wrong Im not suggesting its right!) but Im tempted to convert to the dark side....I re-sheath all my needsles before binning them anyway. That BD sharps cutter thing annoys me because its single use!
 
I tried taking my sharps bin to the chemist a couple of months after diagnosis, they told me they could not take it as they were not licenced by the Primary Care Trust for sharps collection. So I phoned my PCT and asked about sharps disposal and was told my GP health Centre would take it. I have been taking it there for past 3 years, but the last two visits the receptionist insisted that I had to sign the side of the Sharps bin. I think they make the rules as they go along.
John
 
My local council pick mine up like Norterners. They are pretty good just arrange time and date and leave it for them. I had same problem with GP and chemist sendin me back and forth so contacted nurse and she gave me number for collecion by council.
 
Sugarbum - not sure what you mean by "That BD sharps cutter thing annoys me because its single use!" Mine clicks open again, so can be used as long as there is still space in the handle for the chopped off needles. BD reckons it holds up to 1500 needles - see http://www.bddiabetes.co.uk/cgi-bin...DC+Documents/C6FEBF8F030E229300256E3500606972 Then, only the the plastic part of the pen needle needs to go in sharps bin or whatever you use.
 
My gp surgery is taking mine. I always but them in a small plastic bag, as I find the whole putting on gloves very insulting. Heard from others that they have problems.
 
I must be one of the lucky ones. I simply take mine to my local healh centre (conveniently located next door to my GP which is in turn convienitnly less than three minutes walks from my house). They take it in, replace it with another and off I go.(I even get a choice of sizes if they have them and my husband managed to change it for me last time as he happened to have more time than I did!) 🙂
 
Just reading this tread and it prompted me that I need to dispose of my box so I contacted my local council. Have been told that they collect sharps bins as often as you need them to (but only on a wednesday).
________
Half-Baked
 
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Copepod said:
Sugarbum - not sure what you mean by "That BD sharps cutter thing annoys me because its single use!" Mine clicks open again, so can be used as long as there is still space in the handle for the chopped off needles. BD reckons it holds up to 1500 needles - see http://www.bddiabetes.co.uk/cgi-bin...DC+Documents/C6FEBF8F030E229300256E3500606972 Then, only the the plastic part of the pen needle needs to go in sharps bin or whatever you use.
Click to expand...

Oh thanks for that reference! Just had a squizz. I thought when it was full you had to throw it away, I didnt realise you could empty it and start again. I didnt realise it held that many needles either. Interesting, ta.
BTW, I didnt get it on prescrition, I went through the website/contact us (I use BD needles and saw it then) and asked them to send me one and they did for free! V.cool. (I loves free stuff!)
 
Hi Sugarbum
I don't think you can empty the cut-off needles out of the Safe Clip, but I've only had about 4 Safe Clips (all on prescription) in 13 years of using insulin, plus the reduction in needle unit volume must be worth it environmentally, overall. Overall, a really neat bit of kit. Not exactly single use, more like up to 1500 x use.
 
I guess when you shake it and the contents barely move, that means it's full enough . Or when you can't get another needle through the hole. Or ask B-D what they suggest.
 
I think it depends largely on where you live. My GP surgery will take back my huge sharps bin. Some councils will take them by special arrangement, although some councils are better than others. Some chemists take them back too, and I think some of the larger Boots the Chemists do. Ask around and see who does what. Not sure if NHS Direct can offer any advice on this one.
 
Copepod said:
I guess when you shake it and the contents barely move, that means it's full enough . Or when you can't get another needle through the hole. Or ask B-D what they suggest.
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ok thanks copepod. thought there may be something special i didnt know about :D

Ive only just read the original post since seeing northerner's poem. I would be so offended if someone started putting on gloves 😱
 
never had any problems with this. when diagnosed the hopital clinic gave me a list of centres in my area that i can take them too. One i use is a health centre very near my house. I get new bins on prescription, fill them up quickly as only 1 litre, but i dont think i would like anything bigger as i keep one in the kitchen and 1 by my bed, wouldnt look too good if they were huge :D How vain 🙄
 
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