Large sharps boxes not available on prescription in Worcestershire?

[Flutterby]

I requested a larger sharps box today to deal with my libre sensor applicators. Told only 1 litre ones available on prescription. Anyone managed to get a bigger one? I am going to investigate prices and whether any pharmacies will take it when full!

 

[grovesy]

I requested a larger sharps box today to deal with my libre sensor applicators. Told only 1 litre ones available on prescription. Anyone managed to get a bigger one? I am going to investigate prices and whether any pharmacies will take it when full!

In my area used to be able to take sharps bins back to surgery but this was stopped earlier this year. The local council have contracted collection out to an independent company.

 

[Northerner]

I requested a larger sharps box today to deal with my libre sensor applicators. Told only 1 litre ones available on prescription. Anyone managed to get a bigger one? I am going to investigate prices and whether any pharmacies will take it when full!

I got a 7L one last week for this very purpose. I had to wait a couple of weeks for it though, as the pharmacist said that there was a greatly increased demand because of the prescribing of the sensors. In my case, when I got my prescription, the hospital wrote to my GP practice telling them to supply a 7L bin, so if this isn't the case with you then perhaps some pressure needs to be brought? Also, my surgery is supposed to accept sharps, but not sure about the huge bins - someone at the Libre induction said the hospital will accept them, so will try that if surgery fails. It's going to take couple of years to fill anyway, so things might change! 😱 🙂

 

[Flutterby]

My 1 litre one goes back to the pharmacy at the doctor's but they have already said that they won't be able to take the bigger ones. DSN is angry about that. Wait till she hears that I am expected to buy my own!

 

[louloulou]

When I come out of hospital they gave me a big one but now small ones and council collect them have to ring them for them to be collected Lou

 

[grovesy]

When my area changed the system early this year the surgery sent me a letter. When I used the new system I had to ring the council and they contacted the company who then contacted me, next time I should be able to contact the company direct.

 

[Sally71]

We don't put Libre applicators in the sharps bin because the sharp bit is fully enclosed, we just chuck them in the normal waste bin. Same as the Multiclix lancet drums which also have no pointy bits sticking out. So then a 1 litre sharps bin is plenty big enough, lasts us a whole year 🙂

(All we put in it are cannula inserter needles, pump cartridge filler caps and a once-in-a-blue-moon pen needle)

 

[trophywench]

@Sally71 - the business end of Roche pump tubing has a connector on it that you attach to the cannula. Hold one up to the light - there is a needle inside it. If that bit goes into general waste then the plastic bit can be smashed if something heavy enough lands on top of your bin bag. Hence I always cut the end off and bung it in the 1 litre bin too.

@Flutterby - Coventry in W Mids (under whose CCG my healthcare falls despite living and paying Council Tax to Nuneaton & Bedworth in Warwickshire) will not supply more than 1 litre bins either - if UHCW or indeed Geo Eliot issue you with drugs that need a greater capacity bin eg anti coag jabs, single use things, after any operation whatsoever, then they must also prescribe the appropriate sharps bin cos you cannot get one from anywhere else, plus you must perforce return it to that hospital.

 

[Flutterby]

That's interesting Jenny. I will investigate further but otherwise they can do in the bin!

 

[Flutterby]

My husband has just come up with this amazing solution. He has seen a wok dumped on top of a bin outside the local Chinese takeaway and thinks I could put the items in there, take a blowtorch to it, melt it all down and put it in the bin!! I will ring the surgery tomorrow and say problem solved!

 

[trophywench]

Well done Paul! (Men are always so practical, aren't they?)

 

[Flutterby]

Finally resolved problem today as my DSN has given me a huge sharps box and said that I can just take it back there when it's full.

 

[Flutterby]

Well done Paul! (Men are always so practical, aren't they?)

Aren't they just!!

 

[ukjohn]

Had a little laugh to myself when reading this, back about 18 months ago I complained to my nurse that my 1 litre sharps bin was filling up to quick and it would be cheaper and last longer if I had perhaps 10 litre, I went to the pharmacy a few days later to collect my repeat prescription and was handed a huge bag containing 10 x 1 litre sharps bins. 😱🙄. I'm very careful how I phrase things now

John.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hehe! You won’t make that mistake for a while John (and I hope you’ve found somewhere to store your stash!).

For @Flutterby’s original issue, I find it’s quite easy to pull the Libre applicator apart with pliers and then remove just the needle for sharps.