Metro Auckland Community Pharmacy Waste Management Service

Details

Community pharmacies are the central hub for waste collection. The Metro DHBs will award the successful provider with a contract to provide the waste management service. The service will mitigate the risks posed by pharmacy waste to patients and the environment. We seek an improved, standardised, clearly defined and fit-for-purpose waste management process for the Metro Auckland Region. Without clear processes for the handling and disposal of waste pharmaceutical products, these products may enter the environment where they have the potential to cause harm.

We require a single provider to implement the Pharmacy Waste Management Service. The Service will be for the collection and disposal of specific types of waste from contracted community pharmacy providers, namely:
a. Pharmaceutical - non-controlled , unutilised and expired pharmaceutical products (e.g. tablets and capsules); and
b. Sharps - medical ‘sharps’ (e.g. used needles and syringes); and
c. Cytotoxic pharmaceutical - non-controlled, unutilised and expired cytotoxic pharmaceutical products (e.g. tablets and capsules) and cytotoxic containers (i.e. containers that have been used to carry cytotoxic pharmaceuticals).

The DHBs wish to purchase the following:
• Implementation for collection and disposal of pharmaceutical waste from all pharmacies within Metro Auckland Region.
• A communication plan to inform all pharmacies regarding service change
• Training for pharmacies regarding waste management
• Design and distribution of a protocol or programme guide to all pharmacies
• Provision of a variety of bins to each pharmacy for the different types of waste (i.e. pharmaceutical products, sharps and cytotoxic pharmaceuticals) and allowance for various sizes depending on pharmacies’ request.
• Provision of monitoring reports to us as per proposed contract