Criminal waste of NHS money

When my prescription was changed and it did not look correct from what I could see in the bag. I opened it sat on the chair opposite the counter. But they would not take it back and I had to go over the road to the surgery to request a correct prescription

fancythat

Luckygirl3

And also walking sticks and frames... they do not ask for them back round here.

Nor round here.
I was astounded.

Most people would happily and willingly give them back.

There is actually a place to do so, but not actively encouraged.

We tried to return a variety of crutches that my daughter had used and discovered that it was not possible at our local surgery, nor at the hospital.

If you have not left the chemist they will keep any unwanted items, once you leave the shop they would have to bin it

My late DH was issued with a brand new rise and recline chair. It was a referral from the occupational therapist who had visited us, and was supposed to be a trial for a few weeks. No one contacted us again regarding the chair. After some months, he went into a care home, and I emailed the company who issue aids on behalf of NHS Occupational Therapy in our region. Weeks passed, and I didn’t hear from them. I eventually phoned them, and they finally did pick it up. I suspect if I’d said nothing, it would have been mine forever.

This is a well-known topic. I know someone who delivered meds, and he said that lots of patients routinely DO NOT take their meds, but keep on getting them and hoard them (I know, ridiculous, but that's a subset of folk for you . . .they go to the doctor for advice, but decide they know best anyway).

The relatives of deceased patients would routinesly bring back bagfuls of unused meds to the chemist, and the regs say that all must be destroyed.

This is due - apparently - to someone in the Civil Service, or NHS admin hierarchy, having concluded that some demented soul might sabotage their packs of Tramadol, Omeprazole, or Candesartan (etc) with something poisonous so that a tragedy would result if they were re-issued??

IF you have a Labour MP, why not contact them to try and get this massive UK-wide waste prevented?

I don't see how they can put medication in blister packs back into stock if it's wrongly prescribed or you decide you don't need it. It will have your name and dosage instructions on a label on the box. Maybe if it's capsules or tablets in a bottle...

I took a walking frame and two sets of crutches back to the hospital and left them in the foyer area with all the wheelchairs

My mil was in hospital, semi conscious when the doctor came to her ward and informed us that all treatment had been withdrawn and she was on palliative care only. Two days later a huge box of multi vitamin drinks and high protein food sachets were delivered to her house. She died that evening and needless to say we were told to just throw it all away. Such shocking waste.

The majority of the disability equipment provided by the NHS is cheap to manufacture and used by patients in a wide range of circumstances that are totally beyond the NHS control. That means a deep disinfect when they returned to the provider when no longer need. I was told when I lived in London and returned a lot of disability aids after the death of my mum that it was too costly to have them collected and disinfected and that I should dispose of them myself. Charity shops will usually take them.

Five weeks to deliver a hospital bed to our home ordered via community nursing team. My beloved husband died in a hospice five days later. Service provider telephoned immediately the following day asking for it to be collected unused. Told they were “very busy, it could be weeks”. It’s still here 10 days later and meanwhile some desperate person is waiting for one - like we were. And heartbroken.

Astitchintime

Our pharmacy claims that they only have to destroy medication if it has physically been taken out of the premises.

Thank you Astitchintime. I did this when I collected my meds and the took the wrong ones back.