If you use an insulin syringe or pen you need to ensure that your sharps are safe from harm to yourself and others. There are different schemes and arrangements in place for the safe disposal of your sharps box once it is full, depending on where you live.
If you live in the Liverpool, Sefton or Knowsley areas, you can ask your diabetes specialist nurse, practice nurse or district nurse to register you on your Council’s sharps box scheme. You will receive a sharps box from your nurse and then when it is two-thirds full call the appropriate number below and ask for collection and replacement of the sharps box.
If you live in the Liverpool area you should call:
- Tel: 0151 233 3001
- Text phone number: 18001 0151 233 3001
If you live in the Sefton area you should call:
- Tel: 0845 140 0845
- Text phone number: 18001 0845 140 0845
If you live in the Knowsley area you should call:
- Tel: 0151 443 2400
- Text phone number: 18001 0151 443 2400
Advice
Safety
- Never share syringes or finger-pricking devices.
- Keep all your needles and glucose monitoring equipment clean, bloodstain free and out of reach of children at all times.
- Never try to retrieve anything once it has been put in the sharps disposal box.
Storage
Needles, syringes and lancets must not be disposed of in fizzy drinks cans, plastic bottles or similar containers as they are not safe for disposal and could result in injury to others. They are clinical waste and need a special system for disposal.
You can dispose of your needles, syringes and lancets in a sharps disposal box. A clipper, a device that enables you to safely snap off sharps from your syringes / pens, can also be useful as a method of storage. The clipper needs to be disposed of in a sharps disposal box when full in accordance with your local guidelines for clinical waste disposal.
Lancets cannot be disposed of using clippers as these are not designed to remove the lancet needle.
Travel
When travelling by air you can check with your GP to ensure your disposal equipment such as clippers and sharps disposal box are included in your accompanying letter regarding your treatment and equipment.
Information about the guidelines for disposal in the country you are visiting can be sought from the Association for Diabetes in the country you are visiting.
Keep sharps boxes out of reach of children.
Feedback
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Following your discharge from hospital or attendance at your Outpatient appointment you will receive a text asking if you would recommend our service to others. Please take the time to text back, you will not be charged for the text and can opt out at any point. Your co-operation is greatly appreciated.
Further information
The North West Diabetes UK
First Floor,
The Boultings
Winwick Street,
Warrington
WA2 7TT
Tel: 01925 653 281
Fax: 01925 653 288
Email: n.
Diabetes UK
10 Parkway
London
NW1 7AA
Website www.