Public Sector Waste

[EX_OWM]

Had my own little experience of this today.

My wife sprained her ankle a few weeks ago, ended up in A&E and was given a
pair of crutches. She's okay now and no longer needs the crutches and we
were going to return them but my wife had heard that they don't take them
back nowadays, they just dump them. I spoke to A&E about this today, the
nurse told me they used to not take them but now they do "due to cutbacks"
and simply replace the sleeves.

If it's cheaper to recycle crutches now, surely it was equally cheaper
before "the cutbacks". Also, I don't see why they have to replace anything
on crutches, I can't see why a wipe with disinfectant wouldn't be more than
enough, they don't replace the handle on the door into A&E every time
somebody touches it!

I'm sure the cost of dumping crutches against recycling them is
insignificant in terms of the overall health budget but this is just one
example of the attitude that has pervaded the HSE and added to the black
hole that sucks up so much of public finances.

[Fergus O'Rourke]

"EX_OWM" <***@gmail.com> wrote in message news:***@mid.individual.net...
[snip]

Post by EX_OWM
I'm sure the cost of dumping crutches against recycling them is
insignificant in terms of the overall health budget but this is just one
example of the attitude that has pervaded the HSE and added to the black
hole that sucks up so much of public finances.

My understanding is that HSE believed that the risk that returned crutches
would have developed defects was too high.

Always seemed crazy, but I haven't seen the details

[Nick Spalding]

Post by Fergus O'Rourke
[snip]

Post by EX_OWM
I'm sure the cost of dumping crutches against recycling them is
insignificant in terms of the overall health budget but this is just one
example of the attitude that has pervaded the HSE and added to the black
hole that sucks up so much of public finances.

My understanding is that HSE believed that the risk that returned crutches
would have developed defects was too high.
Always seemed crazy, but I haven't seen the details

Back when I had a hip replaced twenty years ago Cappagh were delighted
to get them back; we also donated a zimmer frame that had belonged to my
deceased ma-in-law who had never been near the place.

[EX_OWM]

Post by Fergus O'Rourke
[snip]

Post by EX_OWM
I'm sure the cost of dumping crutches against recycling them is
insignificant in terms of the overall health budget but this is just
one example of the attitude that has pervaded the HSE and added to
the black hole that sucks up so much of public finances.

My understanding is that HSE believed that the risk that returned
crutches would have developed defects was too high.

Pehaps, but I'd like to know how it is cheaper now but not cheaper before.

[Harry]

On Wed, 8 Jun 2011 20:02:12 +0100, "EX_OWM"

Post by EX_OWM

Post by Fergus O'Rourke
[snip]

Post by EX_OWM
I'm sure the cost of dumping crutches against recycling them is
insignificant in terms of the overall health budget but this is just
one example of the attitude that has pervaded the HSE and added to
the black hole that sucks up so much of public finances.

My understanding is that HSE believed that the risk that returned
crutches would have developed defects was too high.

Pehaps, but I'd like to know how it is cheaper now but not cheaper before.

I doubt anyone could come back with a sensible answer to that one! -
Obviously, it was never cheaper before. Isn't this the whole problem
with the NHS and HSE? Far too much thrown away that could be used
again. The general use of standard drug rather than using the much
cheaper generic form. Big chance for savings here.

Harry Merrick.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Fergus O'Rourke"

Post by Fergus O'Rourke

Post by EX_OWM
I'm sure the cost of dumping crutches against recycling them is
insignificant in terms of the overall health budget but this is just one
example of the attitude that has pervaded the HSE and added to the black
hole that sucks up so much of public finances.

My understanding is that HSE believed that the risk that returned crutches
would have developed defects was too high.

In the Other Health Service across the water, it was perfectly normal to
return crutches as a matter of course and they'd be re-issued after
checking for defects. That was before compo-culture took hold, of
course, so the situation over there may have changed.
I'm glad the HSE will now take crutches back as I have a pair they
wouldn't take back some years ago. Now I can hand them in for someone
else to get the use of. They did the same with wheelchairs, as a friend
who was involved in a serious accident tried to return her 'chair once
she didn't need it any more and it was refused. The price of wheelchairs
isn't peanuts, either.

[Nick Spalding]

Post by Grimly Curmudgeon
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Fergus O'Rourke"

Post by Fergus O'Rourke

Post by EX_OWM
I'm sure the cost of dumping crutches against recycling them is
insignificant in terms of the overall health budget but this is just one
example of the attitude that has pervaded the HSE and added to the black
hole that sucks up so much of public finances.

My understanding is that HSE believed that the risk that returned crutches
would have developed defects was too high.

In the Other Health Service across the water, it was perfectly normal to
return crutches as a matter of course and they'd be re-issued after
checking for defects. That was before compo-culture took hold, of
course, so the situation over there may have changed.
I'm glad the HSE will now take crutches back as I have a pair they
wouldn't take back some years ago. Now I can hand them in for someone
else to get the use of. They did the same with wheelchairs, as a friend
who was involved in a serious accident tried to return her 'chair once
she didn't need it any more and it was refused. The price of wheelchairs
isn't peanuts, either.

Back in 1993 the local health centre in Howth was glad to get my wife's
wheelchair back after she died. I think we had one or two other bits
and pieces, I remember a cage thing to keep the weight of the bedding
off her legs.

[EX_OWM]

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote, in

Post by Grimly Curmudgeon
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Fergus O'Rourke"

Post by Fergus O'Rourke

Post by EX_OWM
I'm sure the cost of dumping crutches against recycling them is
insignificant in terms of the overall health budget but this is
just one example of the attitude that has pervaded the HSE and
added to the black hole that sucks up so much of public finances.

My understanding is that HSE believed that the risk that returned
crutches would have developed defects was too high.

In the Other Health Service across the water, it was perfectly
normal to return crutches as a matter of course and they'd be
re-issued after checking for defects. That was before compo-culture
took hold, of course, so the situation over there may have changed.
I'm glad the HSE will now take crutches back as I have a pair they
wouldn't take back some years ago. Now I can hand them in for someone
else to get the use of. They did the same with wheelchairs, as a
friend who was involved in a serious accident tried to return her
'chair once she didn't need it any more and it was refused. The
price of wheelchairs isn't peanuts, either.

Back in 1993 the local health centre in Howth was glad to get my
wife's wheelchair back after she died. I think we had one or two
other bits and pieces, I remember a cage thing to keep the weight of
the bedding off her legs.

Back in the pre-Celtic-Tiger-illusion days when, just like today, they
didn't have buckets of money to throw around.