What to Do With Unused Medical Equipment and Supplies After Someone Dies
When someone dies, there may be medical equipment and unused healthcare supplies left in their home.
In East Sussex? Go here.
These can include walking aids, dressings, continence products, stoma supplies, catheters, syringes and other items accumulated during an illness.
It can seem wasteful simply to throw usable items away. Fortunately, some items may be suitable for reuse or donation.
Before throwing medical supplies away
One organisation worth contacting is MediGive, an initiative operated by the registered charity Medi Tech Trust.
MediGive collects unwanted medical equipment and surgical supplies and aims to put them to useful purposes, including supporting medical communities in low-income and war-affected countries.
Bereavement is one of the circumstances in which the charity receives donations from individuals.
Items it may be able to accept include:
- bandages and wound dressings
- plasters
- catheters and urine bags
- stoma, ostomy and urostomy bags
- continence pads, pants and sheets
- glide sheets
- syringes
- crutches
- walkers and other walking aids
Other medical equipment and healthcare consumables may also be suitable, depending on the item and its condition.
What about unused medicines?
Do not send medicines to MediGive.
Unused or unwanted medication should normally be returned to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
There are also restrictions on some types of equipment and supplies, so it is best to check before sending anything.
Donating from anywhere in the UK
You do not need to live near MediGive to donate.
Smaller items
Smaller and lighter medical supplies can often be sent by post.
Where appropriate, bulky outer packaging may be removed to reduce postage costs, provided any individual sterile packaging remains sealed and intact.
Larger items
If you have larger quantities, bulky equipment or mobility aids, contact MediGive before arranging transport.
They can advise whether the items are suitable and what the most practical donation arrangements may be.
For large items, it is particularly important to check before incurring delivery or courier costs.
Check who owns the equipment first
Not all medical equipment belongs to the person who was using it.
Some items may have been supplied on loan by:
- the NHS
- a hospital
- a hospice
- a local authority
- a community equipment service
- another care provider
Look for labels, stickers, paperwork or reference numbers.
If equipment appears to be on loan, contact the organisation that supplied it before giving it away or disposing of it.
Don’t assume something has no value
When clearing a property after a death, medical supplies can easily end up being thrown away with everything else.
Taking a few minutes to separate unopened or potentially reusable items may prevent useful equipment and supplies going unnecessarily to landfill.
MediGive aims to redirect suitable donated items to charities, worthwhile causes and medical communities that can use them.
Check before you send anything
We are more than grateful to receive your donation. Please email details of your proposed donation to me******@***********st.org
Requirements can change, and not every item can be accepted.
Before arranging postage, collection or transport, check MediGive’s current guidance and contact them if you are unsure.
MediGive / Medi Tech Trust
Registered Charity No. 1157837
Visit MediGive’s website to check what can currently be donated and how to arrange a donation.
Dealing with other belongings after a death?
Medical equipment is only one of the practical issues that can arise when sorting out someone’s home and possessions.
Our local guides explain what to do immediately after a death, registering the death, arranging the funeral, dealing with property and possessions, probate and estate administration, and finding useful local services.