This whole thing about doctors only prescribing those tiny 1 litre sharps bins is ridiculous! I've had the same conversation with my GP and he said that the PCT will only prescribe 1 litre ones.
I took this to the Diabetes UK Careline who just told me to find out who made this decision and, if necessary, to contact my local PCT. Here's Diabetes UK's email:
"I am sorry to hear about the problems you are experiencing with your sharps bin.
Perhaps it might be worth while finding out about who set the policy regarding the size of the sharps bin, and then trying to find out whether you can make a case for receiving the original size bin you were using previously.
You could first try contacting your PCT as they would have informed your doctor of the changes they wished to implement.
You can phone NHS Direct to get the number for your local PCT. Also when you phone NHS Direct you could also ask to speak with the Patients Advice Liaison Service. PALS may be able to support you with advice about how to make a case for receiving the larger sharps bin.
I hope this can help.
Here is the web address for NHS Direct: http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/"
I went to my local PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) to find out whether it would be possible for the PCT to prescribe larger sharps bins. They came back to me to say that the PCT had told them that the reason they only prescribe the 1 litre bins is for "safety reasons" as children may be able to get into the larger bins!!! Yeah, really!! I told her that I don't have any children and was it more safe for me to have lots of syringes in unsecured normal bins because I couldn't get them all into the tiny sharps bin? Funnily enough they didn't have an answer to that one!
Anyway, I'm going to try the local Environmental Health to see whether they'll give me a bigger bin - fingers crossed!!!
