NHS Waste of money and resources

Ageed, but there is too much waste in all areas of local and central government these days. Recently a friend suffered a bad dog bite and went to casualty. After hours of waiting (time for infection to set in), it was wiped, dressed and he was sent home with instructions to return if it got worse. 2 operations and a week in hospital later, 4 lots of antibiotics, 6/8 weeks off work and at huge expense (police involved too), one might wonder the outcome had it been dealt with sooner and properly by being irrigated and tended in the first instance. Similar story of friend's grandchild bitten by a dog. And can someone explain why a single child is transported by hired car with a driver and passenger assistant over 150 miles each time in order to attend a school in one county while living in another. Not an isolated instance but costing hundreds of pounds which could keep an old person in a care home or supply several carers. I know that is off subject but cannot stand government officials squandering taxpayers money because it is not theirs and they dont have to be held accou table.

I would imagine the supply of dressings is realted to the fact that there are now many sorts of dressings and the correct sort needs to be used, and that they need to be changed regularly. Using the wrong sort or failing to change because of cost or supply could result in an infecion which would be much more expensive to treat.

Maryeliza, dressings and the like can be bought over any chemist counter and I believe it is beholden on all of us to save taxpayers money wherever possible. We all take those things for granted but where several are given over to maybe thousands of patients per day that is a lot of money. Obviously it is a case of need and ability bit most walking wounded could get their own, or someone on their behalf.

My husband recently had a hip replacement and we had a visit from the Occupational Therapy Department, the result of which they recommended a raised toilet seat and grabber. These were later delivered to our house and when we had finished with them we phoned them and they came to pick them up after we had cleaned the seat. I have seen mobility aids in the local Charity shop. When we tried to return his crutches they said to keep them and when we went for an outpatient appointment we saw a large pile of crutches. It just goes to show that policies vary depending where you live.

The Freecycle sites are excellent and it’s amazing what people will take from you.

We had the same problem returning aids when my MIL died. Hers included expensive items like a wheelchair, walking frame, a bath lift (only ever used twice because she didn't like the carer that came to bathe her!), four huge unopened packs of incontinence pads for the bed, and lots of grab handles and small items. Nobody wanted to take any of it. All of it was pristine clean, I made sure of that. Medical Centre and Hospital both refused them. We offered it to the Red Cross and charity shops, they didn't want to know. It's such a dreadful waste of money. No wonder the NHS is struggling! Apparently the issue is cleaning and sterilising items for reuse. It can be done but they can't get the people to do it!!! We eventually sold the wheelchair, bath lift and stair lift privately but nearly everything else went to the Tip.

Lollee why is it wasteful people being sent home with dressings they need? When I sliced the top of my finger off two years ago, the nurse gave me an appropriate dressing to use myself to replace the existing one in x days time. If she hadn’t I would have had to go to the GPS and use up the nurse’s time. Of course I could also have made an appointment with the GP so he could write me a prescription so I could go the chemist to get the dressing . Or I could have not looked after my finger myself with the dressing she gave me and ended up with an infection back in hospital......

Well, I couldn't do much worse could I, that is exactly the attitude that never gets things done!

Along with fellow patients on the ward with me, I was bemused as to why every time we were given tablets, they were dispensed in little plastic cups (like medicine measures). Why not just give us the tablets? I forget what the reason was, when I queried it.

I believe it's hygiene and fear of infections.

Sorry, addressed to Lollee ( what the NHS could do with)

I take it you will be standing for Parliament and hoping for Secretary of State for Health?

So easy to criticise.

When my mother died in Sussex, whichever organisation delivered the aids to her (organised by the hospital) came and collected them all, including to my annoyance the zimmer I had bought and could have re-used. Of course I have no idea what they did with them. The Red Cross came for the wheelchair.
4 years ago in London I was in need of a raft of aids, signed for each one and was given a phone number to get them collected when no longer needed. Again I don’t know if they ended up in a skip somewhere.
Metal aids that have sometimes to bear considerable weight would surely stand reuse. Pity someone hasn’t started up a business steam sterilising the metal and replacing rubber parts.

There are many many ways the nhs could save money or limit waste. I have read all the comments with interest and find it appalling if it is indeed true that items are not returned and reused. I also feel that people being sent home with packets of dressings is wasteful. They should be asked if they can supply their own dressings and non prescription drugs unless on benefits. It may seem trivial but add up the cost of every hospital and it is a significant saving. I worked with a woman who previously worked for nhs and witnessed consultants loading their briefcases with gauze, bandages, plasters etc to use in their private practises. Why is a fortune spent on agency staff instead of using the money to employ full time staff without agency fees escalating the cost? Why employ contractors to clean (often not properly trained or aware of basic hygiene rules) rather than permanent staff doing deep cleaning with a matron breathing down their necks? Why are patients not charged a small amount for their food whilst in hospital, after all they are saving on their own food bill and the quality might improve! So many ways for nhs to save money but no one with the right attitude to accomplish it, so much easier to just keep the status quo.

When I had my first hip replacement 9 years ago now, the trolley, raised loo seats, perching stool etc. were all taken back by Millbrook but I needed the crutches etc for longer and I was told to throw them away when I had finished with them. After several more replacements etc. I now have two zimmers and a pair of crutches that I don't know what to do with. The local hospital weren't interested.

Here we may be the near bankrupt state as we have been asked to return everything and anything that could be reused. Sensible anyway, yet it did not happen for many years. Bureaucracy has been the main stumbling block I believe because nothing can happen before they get around to "making it work". If only.

I don't recognise this problem either. When my mum died aged 95 recently all her aids were collected by the community loan service who were responsible fo supplying them within a week. Even the kitchen perching stool which she had had for over 10 years. I suggest GillT57 that you get in touch with the hospital authorities and ask why they don't have a recycling scheme similar to those operating in many areas.

I was given a huge amount of disability aids. Some from the hospital and some later delivered by NRS. When I no longer needed them, a quick phone call to NRS resulted in a van driver collecting everything a few days later. He said that everything would be reused. I can’t understand why anyone should be told to take these valuable things to the tip!

Here in Portugal, although the NHS service is excellent, aids are not provided at all you have to buy them yourself. Many Portuguese could only afford to buy the most basic things. We made sure Mum had all she needed and after she died we kept most of the things as we will no doubt need them ourselves at some time. One of her commodes and the wheelchair are regularly lent to friends when they have elderly relatives to visit.

I recognise this situation. Following the death of my mil we were left with various living aids and also dozens of protein milkshakes and juices. All were in date, unopened and in their original packing. The local pharmacy advised us to dispose of them as they were unable to accept them back. We also had approximately 20 unopened boxes of incontinence pads. Again, all non returnable. I contacted a local care home for the elderly who were very happy and grateful to receive all the items. It would have been a terrible waste of resources and money to have taken them to the tip so we were pleased to have found them a home.

What about offering them to a nursing home?

Our local NHS does ask for all aids back if not needed but the city also has a Carers' Centre that has a free service of online 'small ads' for any such items. Very useful and much cheaper than new.

When my mum died they couldn’t come and collect the stuff quick enough even though my dad was still alive and may have needed the items in fact they took back more than they had given my mum as they took back a shower seat that belonged to my brother,which my dad didn’t realise until it was too late ?

JaneD3 Is it still on eBay? I could take a look...

HootyMcOwlface Exactly what happened to me.

GillT57 Same here. Maybe they don't have the staff or facilities to re-use items?