15
So, what to do with those pesky
needles once they've done their job?
You need to get the thing off for a
start, and then you need to
'neutralise' it so it can't do any
harm. One way to do this is to use
the BD Safe-Clip - a safe, easy way
to remove used insulin pen and
syringe needles. It cuts off sthe
needles and stores them in a large
reservoir, thereby avoiding
accidents while also not needing a
sharps disposal box.
There is also another format for
these, which involves taking the
needle off the end of the pen - not
just the needle shaft itself. The
Novofine Needle Remover is a
special cap that fits over the needle
on the end of your insulin pen and
neatly grips it so you can twist it off
without having to use your fingers
directly. Once the needle is off, you
press a button on the needle
remover to eject the needle which
pops out, ideally straight into a
sharps bin. This helps to avoid any
possibility of an accidental finger
pricks (often referred to as an
accidental 'needlestick') when
changing needles. This is excellent
for children or people with dexterity
issues and available on prescription.
SAFE & SOUND:
What to do with used needles
We're often asked not only to
take down blood test results
but also to keep a food diary.
Both are combined here in an
easy to read, easy to fill in, easy
to understand dairy.
Each booklet covers 32 days.
Each day has two-pages to view
so that every day has a whole
page on which to note down
your eating habits. This will
help you to see which foods
bring on high blood sugars. You
can check at a glance without
relying on your memory or
having to revert to your blood
test meter to remind you what
your readings have been over
the last 24 hours or more.
Opposite the food and dose log
is a chart on which you can plot
where your results go each day,
giving you a visual aid to spot
patterns. Sold in packs of six
diaries, each one lasts a month.
£9 per pack (£1.50 each) plus
p&p from Diabetes UK.
OTHER WAYS TO HELP
Desang diaries can help you
keep on track
There is a similar pen needle
remover that comes free inside
every box of Unifine pen needles
from Owen Mumford.
There are also now many places that
sell special medical sharps bins. You
can even get small ones for travel
If you are taking the entire needle
off, do dispose of them safely in one
of these. Try calling your local
council who may supply them for
you. Then, when full, call the council
to set a date to have it picked it up
from you. They should deliver you a
new one to replace it.
This is the Mini Pocket Sharps Bin from
Frio (frionuk.com), handy to use when out
and about to store used needles. Available
on prescription. Diabetes UK sells
a similar product from MySharps on their
online shop (shop.diabetes.org.uk).
DETECT
PROTECT
PREVENT