Safe Disposal of Medical Waste During Flu Season
As flu season brings an influx of vaccinations and treatments, managing clinical waste - particularly sharps - becomes a top priority for GP practices. Proper disposal of sharps is essential for ensuring the safety of healthcare workers, patients, and the public. Below, we outline key guidelines from the NHS and GOV.UK for sharps disposal in clinics and how you can guide patients who need to manage sharps at home.
For GP Practices: Best Practices for Sharps Disposal
GP practices are required to follow strict NHS and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines for sharps disposal:
- Use of Sharps Bins: All sharps, such as needles and syringes, should be placed in designated bins immediately after use. Bins should be sealed when 3/4 full to prevent overfilling and must not be placed in general waste.
- Disposal Methods: Full sharps bins can be collected by licensed clinical waste services. To find local disposal services, you can visit GOV.UK clinical waste collection.
Understanding Colour Codes for Sharps Containers
Different waste types require specific disposal methods, identified by colour-coded bins. Examples include:
- Yellow Bins: For sharps contaminated with medicinal products, excluding cytotoxic/cytostatic medicines.
- Orange Bins: For sharps not contaminated with medicinal products.
For Your Patients Managing Sharps at Home
Patients using sharps at home, such as insulin users, should follow these key steps:
- Get a Sharps Bin: Available from GPs or pharmacies, sharps bins ensure safe disposal of needles and syringes.
- Disposal Options: Local councils offer home collection services for full bins, or patients can return them to GP practices or pharmacies. For more information, visit GOV.UK
Share Downloadable Resources With Your Patients
Share the Standard Infection Control Guidelines with patients, which includes important information on avoiding the spread of infection and safe medical waste disposal in the home.
Sharps Disposal Solutions Available Now
For practices looking to stock up on SHARPSGUARD® bins, we offer a variety of options at Medical Supermarket, with a 25% discount available for a limited time.
Explore SHARPSGUARD® Bins on Medical Supermarket
