What to do if…
you are asked to return medical equipment or medications after a death

What to do now

1. Take the pressure off the handover.

   • Ask for the organisation name, the person’s name and role, and exactly what they want collected or returned.
   • Say: “I can’t do an on-the-spot handover. I’ll call the main number to confirm and arrange it.”

2. Call back using a trusted route.

   • For NHS or community loaned equipment, look for a sticker, label, delivery note, discharge paperwork, or equipment register showing the supplier.
   • If you cannot find the supplier, ask the GP practice, district nursing team, hospice, or hospital discharge team which service supplied it.
   • For hospice equipment, call the hospice main switchboard rather than a number given by an unexpected caller.

3. Make a quick inventory before anything leaves.

   • Write down the item, supplier, any asset or serial number, and key accessories such as a charger, pump, mattress, tubing, sling, remote, or cushion.
   • Take photos of labels and serial numbers.
   • Ask whether the collector can give a collection note or receipt listing what was taken.

4. Secure all medicines in one place.

   • Gather tablets, liquids, patches, injections, “just in case” medicines, and strong pain medicines into one bag or box.
   • Keep them in their original packaging if possible.
   • Put the bag or box out of sight, ideally locked away, until you can use a verified return route.

5. Use a community pharmacy as the usual safe return route for medicines.

   • NHS public guidance says unwanted medicines should not go in the bin or toilet and should be taken to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
   • Call the pharmacy first if there is a large quantity, strong pain medicine, patches, injections, or anything you think may be a controlled drug, such as morphine, oxycodone or fentanyl.
   • If a pharmacy cannot take the medicines immediately because it does not have safe storage capacity, keep them secure and ask when to return or which local pharmacy can help.
   • If you cannot leave home, ask the hospice, district nurse team, GP practice, or pharmacy what the local arrangement is.

6. Verify any medicine collection before handing medicines over.

   • Only hand medicines to a collector if the organisation confirms through an official number that this is part of their process.
   • Do not use an informal collector, courier, neighbour, or driver unless the organisation has confirmed the arrangement.
   • Ask the collector to show identification.
   • Keep a note of the date, organisation, collector name if given, and what was collected.

7. Arrange equipment return safely.

   • Ask for a collection appointment or window.
   • Tell the service if the item is heavy, upstairs, connected to power, connected to oxygen equipment, or cannot be moved by you.
   • Keep accessories with the matching item so they are not lost.

8. Handle sharps carefully.

   • If there is a sharps bin, close or lock it if you can do so safely and keep it upright.
   • Do not put loose needles, syringes, or sharps in household rubbish or recycling.
   • Ask the pharmacy, GP practice, district nurse team, hospice, or local council what the local sharps collection or drop-off route is.
   • In England and Wales, GOV.UK can route you to local council clinical waste collection where available.