Medequip, the provider of the North Yorkshire Community Equipment Loan Service, in collaboration with York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, recently 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 assistive 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 community equipment items returned were shower chairs, bed grab handles, trolleys, commodes, toilet seats, and walking aids like 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 commented: “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.”

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 equipment that is no longer needed is straightforward. Equipment 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 this page.

Gloucestershire County Council recently launched a similar initiative, where the local authority asked residents to return any mobility equipment they are no longer using.