Faulty medical equipment

Do you have equipment that you have bought yourself or that has been given or supplied to you by a GP's surgery, hospital, pharmacy, optometrist or clinic? If this equipment goes wrong then the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) needs to know about it so that it can take any necessary action.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is the government agency responsible for making sure that equipment is safe. The MHRA regulates all medical equipment and takes necessary action to protect the public promptly if there is a problem.

Here are some examples of common types of medical equipment: artificial limbs, blood pressure machines, catheters and catheter bags, commodes, cholesterol tests, contact lenses and solutions, dressings, hearing aids, insulin pens, patient hoists, prescribable footwear, syringes, thermometers, walking sticks and frames and wheelchairs.

Things that can go wrong

A piece of equipment may become unsafe for a number of reasons. The following examples show the sort of problems that can happen and how the MHRA has acted to protect the public's health.

Angela, a six year old, was suffering from a fever. Her mother used an ear thermometer which gave a low reading compared to a conventional thermometer. She reported this to the MHRA who had received several other similar reports. The MHRA found that ear thermometers were often being used incorrectly and provided advice on how to use them correctly.
A number of wheelchair users were being injured because of faulty brakes. Mrs. Kelly told her daughter about her injury and her daughter reported it to the MHRA. The wheelchairs were found to be poorly designed. The MHRA contacted the manufacturer who redesigned the wheelchair and upgraded those already in use.

If your equipment has a fault you should let the MHRA know as soon as you can. If possible, keep the faulty equipment until you have made contact with the MHRA.

The MHRA will investigate and take any necessary action. It may give advice to the health service, discuss changes with manufacturers, or in extreme cases, stop the equipment being sold.

Reporting a fault

Use any of the following ways to let us know about a fault:

By email: aic@mhra.gsi.gov.uk
Report online at the MHRA website Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency - MHRA|
Telephone the Adverse Incident Hotline on 020 7084 3080
Fax the MHRA on 020 7084 3109
By letter to MHRA (Devices), Market Towers, 1 Nine Elms Lane, London SW8 5NQ.