We have our very own self-confessed hoarder in our Medical Devices Team. John Riddle, our Clinical Technologist, admits to rarely ever throwing anything away and absolutely hating waste. Whenever he is in the estates department waste compound, he says that all he sees is opportunities!  

There are many medical devices where the manufacturer does not provide spares and we therefore would have to buy an entirely new one if one part no longer works. John uses his knowledge and extensive experience of the medical devices across Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) to know where spares might be possible to be used.  

John has done a lot of work over the years to prove that using spares is safe, which is obviously crucial when we’re talking about medical devices, and to overcome the instinct that full replacement is always preferable.   

Following the decommissioning of some wards at Saint Nicholas Hospital in advance of their refurbishment, John ensured that they were inspected, and identified thousands of pounds worth of equipment which can be reused elsewhere.  

John’s passion helps reuse items and reduce waste, helping us to be more sustainable, as well as saving significant financial resources.