Posts Tagged ‘crutches’
Drop-off service launched for unwanted medical equipment
Residents are being encouraged to recycle unwanted medical equipment as part of a new initiative launched during Recycle Week (17 – 23 October). New recycling bins have been installed at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) across North Yorkshire and York in partnership with Medequip, which provides community equipment services to local authorities and the NHS…
Read MoreMedequip rolls out its mobile unit – and calls on people to help recycle community equipment
The provider of community equipment in York and North Yorkshire is rolling out its mobile exhibition unit – and appealing for people to return any unwanted crutches, walking frames or chair raisers.
Medequip, which provides equipment on
behalf of North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) and clinical commissioning
groups (CCGs) in the county, wants to take equipment that’s become surplus to
requirements and introduce it back into circulation.
Medequip’s North East Region General
Manager, Steve Smith, said: “The NHS loses hundreds of thousands of pounds
every year in the shape of crutches, walking sticks, bathroom aids – in short,
all sorts of equipment provided free of charge to help people after accidents
or to keep older people independent for longer.
“We are working with county council and
CCG colleagues to try to bring more of this much needed equipment back into
circulation. Most items only need a clean and a check over to be reissued to
someone else in need of support.”
On 19 March between 10am and 3pm,
Medequip will park its mobile exhibition unit at York Hospital – outside the
front entrance, next to the multi-storey car park. It will take equipment and
after a thorough deep clean, will make sure it gets back into circulation.
It’s the latest in a recent community
equipment “amnesty” launched by Medequip and commissioners and is part of a
wider Return, Recycle, Reuse campaign in North Yorkshire.
Dr Charles Parker, the Clinical Chair
Designate for North Yorkshire CCGs, said: “It’s a fact that most people don’t
intend to keep hold of this equipment. In many cases, they’re simply not aware
of how to return it. Maybe they’ve mislaid the details, or maybe they have all
good intentions to do so and the time has just slipped by.
“If you’ve got items languishing in
your garage, cupboard, shed or attic, here’s your chance to do your bit for the
NHS and local council.”
There are other ways people can return
equipment that’s on loan from Medequip and no longer needed.
There are Medequip drop-off points at
Dunslow Court, Eastfield near Scarborough and Manse Lane in Knaresborough and
amnesty bins at The Archways in York and York District Hospital, the OT
department at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton and Yorwaste’s household
waste recycling centre at Pennypot Lane in Harrogate.
Medequip will also pick up
some items for free – call 01423 226240 or email north.yorks@medequip-uk.com
Community equipment amnesty launched across North Yorkshire
Published on Feb 19, 2019
Local NHS and social care leaders are calling on people across North Yorkshire and York to return loaned equipment like walking frames, crutches, beds, mattresses and hoists when no longer needed.
Last year the NHS launched a national so-called “crutch amnesty” to deal with concerns that perfectly good medical equipment is going to waste. It’s thought that for every 50 pairs of crutches issued through the NHS, only 10 pairs are returned. With a pair of crutches typically costing around £12.50, the annual bill for crutches in the NHS is estimated to be around £3 million.
This is also costing the local health service tens of thousands of pounds – money that could be invested elsewhere.
On behalf of the NHS clinical commissioning groups in North Yorkshire and York (including NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG), Dr Charles Parker, Clinical Chair of NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group said: “We’re calling on people to return, recycle or request collection of unwanted equipment so it can be used again by someone else in need.
“It’s vital we manage local NHS resources and budgets responsibly and reducing waste plays a big part in that.”
Councillor Michael Harrison, Executive Member for Adult Services and Health Integration for North Yorkshire County Council said: “Health and social care equipment includes a range of products to assist independent living at home, including mobility and communication aids, shower chairs, perching stools, walking aids and pressure relieving mattresses/cushions.
“A lot of this equipment never finds its way back to the provider when it’s surplus to requirements. It’s quite likely it’s just been put in the garage or in the cupboard under the stairs and forgotten about once it’s served its purpose.”
Michaela Harris, Business Support Manager from Medequip Assistive Technology Ltd (Medequip) which provides the service said: “If our customers have equipment they no longer need, they can simply get in touch with us and we’ll pick the equipment up for free – just ring 01423 226240 or email north.yorks@medequip-uk.com.
“Alternatively, surplus equipment can be returned to one of Medequip’s depot drop-off points in Scarborough or Knaresborough, or deposit it in one of three amnesty bins. There are currently two at York Hospital and one at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton. We’re looking at increasing the number of these bins across other North Yorkshire and York locations.”
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