Wealden District Council
You are using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.
Parts of our website may display incorrectly or not work at all. Please consider downloading an up to date browser such as Chrome or Firefox.

Clinical Waste FAQs

Clinical waste collections are provided for residents who are self-medicating. Where a District Nurse attends the property to administer medication or change dressings, the District Nurse will need to arrange a private collection for any waste/sharps generated.

Waste generated as a result of a resident requiring Dialysis or producing stoma bags can go in the general waste bin. Additional refuse capacity can be provided if required. (Please complete an additional capacity form).

Providing the form details your name and address, we accept this for a one off collection of sharps waste. Please send the form to Waste Management, Wealden District Council, Vicarage Lane, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 2AX or scan and email a copy to recycling@wealden.gov.uk

Providing the form details the residents name and current address, along with the required clinical waste collection and includes a signature from a healthcare professional we will accept this as a Duty of Care form. If on receiving the form, there are any issues we will reissue a Wealden Clinical Waste form and discuss what is required.

Unfortunately a new form is required as the details on the old form cover the property where the collection is to take place from and is not transferable.

Purple lidded sharps boxes are provided to a resident who has been given a cytotoxic drug (sometimes known as antineoplastics) which describes a group of medicines that contain chemicals which are toxic to cells, preventing their replication or growth, and is therefore used to treat cancer). The disposal of these will need to be through your oncology department. Further information can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/safe-use-cytotoxic-drugs.htm 

Clinical waste collections generally take place between 7:00am and 15:30pm on the scheduled day of collection. Boxes/sacks need to be available at the property by 7:00am. The best location for collection is by the front door.

We operate a clinical waste service on a Tuesday to properties towards the north of Wealden and on a Thursday to those properties in the south. Sack collections will take place on a weekly basis (once set up) and sharps collections need to be pre-booked (where the collection day will be confirmed).

Where a collection of a full sharps box is made we are able to provide a replacement on a like for like basis.

We are able to provide a replacement box at the time of making a collection of a full box. At the time that you are prescribed medication, the hospital/doctor or pharmacy should be able to provide you with the initial box. If you have not been provided with one please contact them back to obtain a sharps box.

Unused medication that is still in its original packaging is safe to handle and can be placed in with the general waste.

Generally where a resident has been receiving sharps collections, the property will still be set up to receive clinical waste collection and this is the property we would need to collect from. If we have been informed, we usually wait a minimum of 1 month before cancelling the service.
If the property is no longer set up for a sharps collection, we still require a completed clinical waste form to be able to arrange a sharps collection. However the form can be signed by the next of kin or person dealing with the resident’s estate. (The form does not need to be signed by the medical profession). The collection can also be made from another residential property within Wealden. Please provide a covering letter detailing the collection is for a deceased resident.
Any unused medication that is still in its original packaging is safe to handle and can be placed in with the general waste for disposal and does not require being collected as part of the clinical waste collections.

 

A fact sheet has been produced detailing the disposal process required for several different types of glucose monitoring equipment. Please contact waste management if you have this type of equipment.