Sharps Boxes

C&E Guy

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi everyone,

Where do you guys get your sharps boxes from?

My wife has just been to our GP to hand in a full box and get a new empty one. They always look like it’s not their responsibility. The only box they could give is a 13L size - which is ginormous.

I see all sizes on EBay but why should I have to pay for one?
 
Where do you guys get your sharps boxes from?
Mine are prescribed by my GP. (I presume that's the case everywhere. Collecting them varies by area (in some places pharmacies take them, etc.) so possibly it varies a bit for sharps boxes.)
 
You should have whatever size sharps box you need on prescription to repeat order. I have both a 7 litre and a 1 litre on my repeat list but have only ever used the 1 litre as I dismantle my Libre applicators so don't need a big bin and a 1 Litre lasts me well over a year, so whilst the 7 litre bin is available to order, I never have.
 
I finally got some added to my prescription, which has made things easier. It’s taken them years to do this.
 
Mine's full and our council are collecting it next week and delivering a new one at the same time.
 
Mine's full and our council are collecting it next week and delivering a new one at the same time.
My council do the same. Can't get them on prescription here because it's the councils responsibility. It definitely depends on where you live what the arrangements are.
 
My full ones are collected by my council and they leave a new empty one for me each time
 
Mine are prescribed by my GP. (I presume that's the case everywhere. Collecting them varies by area (in some places pharmacies take them, etc.) so possibly it varies a bit for sharps boxes.)
I used to get them from a local pharmacy but they started charging for them and refusing to take the full ones back.

I think I will ask it to be put on my repeat prescription list - but I’m not going to need one for ages now.
 
The system seems to vary across the country from what Incan make out?

There was a straw poll I ran some time back

I think that the legal responsibility lies with the Local Authority, but that some of them organise things through pharmacy/hospital rather than doing it directly?
 
My full ones are collected by my council and they leave a new empty one for me each time
Same for me. I am able to choose what size box I want.
 
If you check on your councils website it will give you a list of where you can take your full sharps bins. My 1 litre ones full in four weeks due to insulin needles as well as finger picks. But they don’t put a bigger one on prescription here.
 
If you check on your councils website it will give you a list of where you can take your full sharps bins. My 1 litre ones full in four weeks due to insulin needles as well as finger picks. But they don’t put a bigger one on prescription here.
Not necessarily. As previously mentioned, sharp boxes allocation and collection is very regional.
It is worth checking on your council’s website if they handle sharps and clinical waste. Some will offer somewhere to take full ones, some will arrange collections and some do nothing with them.
 
Not if Doctors' surgeries or pharmacies take them.
Sure, but I was assuming that would be an arrangement for disposing of them. I'm just saying there can't be no way to dispose of them (and I'd expect the Council to know what that was and to give the information on their website).
 
When in Southampton the Council would collect and replace them, but here in Harrogate I have a 7 litre on prescription and I can take them back to GP surgery or the hospital which is a better arrangement 🙂 My surgery seem quite happy to accept them, unlike some I have heard of.....😱 :D

The Rude Receptionists​

‘I’ve filled up my sharps bin, can I give it to you?’
‘I’m not sure if we take them, I don’t think that we do!
I’ll just wait for Elsie, till she’s done on the phone,
I don’t want to make the decision alone.’

‘Ah look! See, she’s finished – Elsie, what do you think?
If we took in this sharps bin, would they kick up a stink?’
‘No, I don’t think we take them, we ought to ask Kate…
I don’t think she’s here yet, she’s coming in late.’

‘Do you think you could come back when there’s more of us here?
We can’t make the decision, I know it sounds queer.
It’s more than our job’s worth! When we got employed
We were told all the things we’re supposed to avoid.’

‘Like being efficient, polite and at ease,
We’re supposed to ignore you and do as we please.
And if you get angry and kick up a fuss,
We’ll tell all and sundry that you wear a truss!’

‘And if you should happen to come in here ill
We’ll make you stand waiting – it gives us a thrill!
There’ll be no appointments if you need to be seen –
We’re supposed to be grumpy, obstructive and mean.’

‘Could you move to the side please? I think I saw Kate!
Perhaps you’d move quicker if you lost some of that weight!
Ah Kate! Can you tell me before you go in,
Do you ever remember us taking a bin?’

‘I don’t think we take them.’ ‘No, that’s what I thought.’
‘Be patient now, madam, please don’t get distraught!’
‘Perhaps if we rang up Elaine in supplies?’
‘She might not have time – she’s up to her eyes!’

‘Oh please will you take it? I’ve been here an hour!
Perhaps I could talk to someone with more power?’
‘There’s Dr. Fitzmichael, I think he will know…
Too late – that’s his Volvo! I just saw it go!’

‘Well…perhaps we could take it, and when he gets back
We’ll find out if that’s why Janine got the sack…
No! Don’t pass it over! I might get infections!
We have to take care with all our collections!’

‘Elsie, pass me those gloves, and Kate - you watch out!
You have to be careful with addicts about!
That is why you’ve got this? Because you take drugs?
I wouldn’t let your type drink out of our mugs!’

‘Now, pass it me slowly, are you sure it’s tight shut?
Imagine of one of those stuck in my foot!
Goodbye! No, you’re welcome – I hope that you’ve learned
We’d rather this wasn’t where your bins are returned…!’ :D
 
our local council collect them (I book the collection free on-line)
a replacement bin I can no longer get on prescription
Instead I buy from pharmacy for £1 (a one litre sharps bin)
 
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