Medequip and the NHS Team Up for Recycle Week
As part of Recycle Week 2024, Medequip, the provider of the North Yorkshire Community Equipment Loan Service, in collaboration with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, hosted two equipment amnesty days at York and Scarborough Hospitals.
The amnesty days, which took place outside York Hospital on 16 October and Scarborough Hospital on 17 October, encouraged North Yorkshire residents to return unused equipment prescribed on loan by a health or social care professional, such as an Occupational Therapist.
Over 30 items, worth hundreds of pounds, were returned during the two amnesty days, and their value was credited back to the Community Equipment Loan Service contract commissioned by North Yorkshire Council and the NHS.
Among the items returned were shower chairs, bed grab handles, trolleys, commodes, toilet seats, and walking aids such as frames and crutches, all of which will be refurbished or recycled.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the NHS to drive this important initiative,” said Sara Sneath, Regional General Manager at Medequip.
“Returning community equipment provides crucial savings for our Community Equipment Loan Service commissioners and ensures that equipment is available to support others who need it.
“We look forward to improving return rates through more local campaigns and taking learnings from the two amnesty days.”
Ruth Ferguson, Professional Lead for Occupational Therapy at the Trust, was closely involved in organising the amnesty days alongside Medequip. She said:
“This is a great initiative because it helps to reduce the number of items going into the waste, which is good news for the local NHS which buys new equipment for patients.
“Amnesties are a great way to reduce, reuse, recycle equipment, which contributes to a greener NHS. The Trust continues to work with Medequip to hopefully organise more amnesties at our hospitals in the future.”
The scheme forms part of the Trust’s Green Plan
This joint initiative to reuse medical equipment is part of the Trust’s Green Plan, which sets out an ambitious but achievable strategy towards a more sustainable future.
Returning and reusing community equipment aligns with NHS initiatives to reduce carbon emissions. According to the Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service report, reusing items like crutches and frames significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions from producing materials like aluminium.
The NHS estimates that if just 40% of walking aids were returned, an average hospital could reduce its carbon emissions by up to 7,400 tonnes over three years – the equivalent of removing 281,397 car trips from London to Bristol.
The campaign during Recycle Week 2024 is a reminder of the importance of returning community equipment that is no longer needed – doing so:
- Helps others: returned equipment is cleaned, refurbished and made available to people who need it.
- Saves NHS and social care money: reusing equipment saves substantial NHS and social care funds, allowing them to reinvest in other essential services.
- Protects the environment: refurbishing equipment lowers waste and reduces the need for new.
Equipment that is no longer needed can be taken to a Medequip Service Centre in York or Scarborough, to any designated local drop-off point, or collected free of charge by contacting Medequip’s Customer Service Team at north.yorks@medequip-uk.com or 01423 226240. For the nearest drop-off locations in North Yorkshire, visit mq-uk.com/return-nyorks.
