Freedom of Information Request – Ref: 153-2024
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
Total equipment waste
You asked:
The volume (in units) and value (in £) of medical equipment that was discarded, either by being placed in skips, incinerated or otherwise disposed of, rather than reused or recycled.
Our response:
Medical equipment and the disposal is monitored closely. The amount of medical equipment disposed of in this way would be minimal. We aim to recycle or reuse via medical auctioneers or charities. There is no way for us to accurately record the amount of medical equipment which has been put in skips or discard through other means. When we receive notice of old equipment in need of disposal we either donate this equipment to charities, send the equipment to auctioneers or the device is used for parts through our medical engineering team. The equipment which we are not notified of is minimal. We are doing all we can to educate staff and alert porters on site that medical equipment cannot be disposed via skips.
You asked:
Please provide a breakdown by equipment type (e.g., walking frames, crutches, beds, etc.).
Our response:
Walking frames, crutches and walking aids are hired and returned after use. Where medical equipment is no longer fit for purpose or at the end of its life cycle; such as diagnostic equipment, plinths, ophthalmology, theatre etc, and cannot be relocated due to not being compliant with MHRA, the equipment would be collected for a medical auction or offered to a charity. This information is not easily accessible, we receive automatic invoices from the auctioneers once every device is sold.
Costs associated with waste
You asked:
What is the annual cost of purchasing new patient medical equipment (crutches, walking frames etc)
Our response:
GHC gather the data for a rolling replacement programme based on risk, age and manufacturers and MHRA recommendations. The associated waste cost would be incorporated into the initial purchase cost and outlined in the business case as depreciation over the life of the equipment. Costs approx. £400,000
Recycling and reuse mechanisms
You asked:
Details of any mechanisms, schemes, or policies your Trust has in place for reusing, recycling, or donating medical equipment, including:
- How returned equipment is processed (e.g., decontamination and refurbishment).
- The percentage of equipment successfully reused or recycled.
- Any partnerships with charities or external organisations to recycle or donate equipment.
- Who is the named person in your NHS Trust responsible for holding this work (Just job title please)
Our response:
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) process, decontamination process, recorded on Medical Equipment data base.
- 90%
- Local colleges, Peace & Hope Trust, GHC colleagues involved with taking charitable donation to other countries
- Medical Devices Team, who can be contacted at medical.devices@ghc.nhs.uk
Financial savings or revenue
You asked:
The financial savings your Trust has made through recycling or reusing medical equipment (if applicable).
Our response:
Not applicable
You asked:
Any revenue generated from recycling or selling used equipment, including the breakdown by equipment type.
Our response:
Example of sales from Jan 2024 Medical Auctioneer : ValleyLab Force FX C Diathermy on Trolley Sold Asset No: 20762 power lead Serial No: F7K57551A B680C127-6 £520.00
ValleyLab Force FX C Diathermy on Trolley Sold Asset No: G22845 footswitch | power lead Serial No: SF8G02842A B680C127-7 £580.00
We are unable to provide a breakdown of revenue generated by equipment type, there are errors with revenue of auctioned equipment and this is not providable.
Contractor involvement
You asked:
The total amount of money paid to contractors or suppliers for the provision of medical equipment that could potentially be reused or recycled.
Our response:
£10,000 for contractor transportation costs, this will be taken from auctioneers revenue as a fee for collection and transportation cost, transport of equipment between GHC sites and to storage in attempt to reuse and reallocate equipment is also paid for.
Plans for future action
You asked:
Any current or future initiatives aimed at reducing the waste of medical equipment and improving recycling or reuse efforts.
Our response:
Medical Equipment Champions at each base, Collaborative working with Operational Managers, Working closer with our Comms team to share information.
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.