Recycling OT equipment Caroline Petley, May 2013

Transforming Community Equipment Services – COT 2008“Occupational therapists have the expertise to

assist people with selecting and using equipment to help them engage in and achieve their desired potential in life’s occupations” COT 2008

“COT will: Support occupational therapists to work with manufacturers to develop new products made from recyclable materials, to offer choice and value for money, and to meet the changing expectations and needs of equipment users.” COT 2008

“Occupational therapists have the skills and knowledge to advise about over-use or over-specification of equipment and timely withdrawal of equipment e.g. during recovery or rehabilitation. They are also skilled to train and supervise other equipment assessors to ensure they are competent” COT 2008.

Towards the development of a policy of recycling assistive technology for people living with a disability, Vincent C (2000)

? responsibility is recycling of assistive technology

Aim was to identify key elements that could contribute to a successful policy for recycling of assistive technology using a multidisciplinary approach

Interview members from the health sector, community sector and industrial sector.

Results – elements considered to establish effective recycling policy for assistive technology

Technocratic reasoning – rules, norms, legislation, administrative. How equipment is chosen. Provide a procedure for retrieving, recycling and distributing.

Management incentives – self financing of delivery of equipment, philosophy of rehab, uphold standards of recycling practices.

Incentives to encourage professionals – having administrators that facilitated delivery, incentives from paying bodies, and mission statement by employers/establishment.

Professional/OT reasoning – Technical knowledge, formulation, ethics, professional practice.

Commercial reasoning – Demand/need for recycling, regulation of marketplace, making profit, reactions from the industry.

Ecological reasoning – environmental ideology, integrating elements of recycling in design of the product and (?) dangers of over-recycling.

User satisfaction – short-term/long-term basis.

Political reasoning – Shift to community based care, economic and ecological responsibility, accessibility, call for return of reusable equipment from public.

Suggestions for OT’s

Promotion of recycling assistive technology

Raise awareness of how to deal with un-used equipment to service users and staff at work setting.

Role of consultant for effective recycling scheme in health care and guidelines for recycling assistive technology.

OT’s to refer to depots to train patients in maintaining/ recycling equipment.

Coordinator role at a political level.

Community Equipment Store – West Sussex

Each year up to £250,000 worth of loaned equipment is not returned and 'lost’across West Sussex.

CES collect unwanted equipment free of charge if it has a barcode

It is then cleaned to the highest possible standards and loaned to someone else who needs it.

The 'most wanted' items are:

pressure care mattresses;

portable hoists;

hospital beds at home;

adjustable height commodes;

bed rails/safety sides;

bath lifts;

perching stools; and

slings (for lifting with hoists).

Stairlift Recycling Scheme non-profit venture pioneered by Major

Adaptations Ltd to remove unwanted stairlifts from people’s homes

Remove unwanted stairlifts free of charge and recycling reusable stairlifts by repairing, refurbishing and testing them.

Any stairlifts that cannot be reconditioned or used for parts are disposed of in a responsible way through the Green Achiever Scheme.

Provide high quality reconditioned stairlifts which come with full comprehensive guarantees.

Recycling of Community Occupational Therapy Specialist Equipment Elaine Neill, Occupational Therapy service NHSCT -

presented a service development report.

Assigned OT tech to establish recycling service.

Produced a data base to ensure high ratio of equipment was returned to stores.

Reduce expenditure, more efficient use of resources and waiting list for specialist equipment.

Improved communication between CES and OT staff.

Questions for auditPromotion of schemes such as stairlift recycling

– in hospitals, social services, and promoted in estate agents?

? Local social services/nhs equipment databases

? Communication links between services

References

College of Occupational Therapists (2008) Transforming Community Equipment Services – Position statement.

Recycling of Community Occupational Therapy Equipment byBritish Association and College of Occupational Therapists on Apr 02, 2012 http://www.slideshare.net/baotcot/equiprecyclingelaineneillppt

http://stairliftrecycling.com/stairliftrecycling/stairlift-recycling/

Vincent C (2000) Towards the Development of a Policy of Recycling Assistive Technology for People Living with a Disability, British Journal Of Occupational Therapy, 63(1).

http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/living/social_care_and_health/adults_looking_for_support/help_to_live_at_home/equipment_and_adaptations-1/community_equipment_service.aspx