Every year NHS trusts decommission a very large amount of working equipment. Wards get refurbished, a trust standardises on one monitor brand, a PFI contract ends, a department closes. The kit has to go somewhere, and a lot of it is barely used.
There are five realistic routes to buying it. Here is what each is genuinely good for.
1. Auction houses
Specialist medical auctioneers such as Hilditch Group, Pro Auction and Asset Auctions handle a large share of NHS disposals, running timed online sales of decommissioned stock.
Best for: volume buyers, exporters, anyone fitting out a whole department who has transport and time.
Watch for: buyer premium and VAT on top of the hammer price, tight collection deadlines from live hospital sites, and brief sold-as-seen condition notes. See our full comparison of auctions versus buying direct.
2. Specialist used-equipment dealers
Dealers buy from auctions and direct disposals, then collect, check, photograph and price individual items. That is what we do.
Best for: buying one specific item, buying on a purchase order, and anyone who needs to know the condition before committing.
Watch for: you pay more than a hammer price, and quality of description varies enormously between dealers. Ask what was actually tested.
3. eBay and general marketplaces
Best for: small items, probes, accessories, and spotting the occasional mispriced bargain.
Watch for: wildly variable descriptions, sellers who have never powered the item on, and shipping quotes that arrive after you have committed. Check seller history and ask direct questions before bidding.
4. Direct from a trust or their disposal partner
Some trusts sell directly, or via a facilities management partner.
Best for: large organisations with existing relationships and their own logistics.
Watch for: this route is rarely open to individuals or small clinics, and the process can be slow.
5. Brokers and exporters
Best for: buyers overseas who want consolidated shipping and export paperwork handled. See our guide for overseas buyers.
Watch for: another margin in the chain, and you are often further from the item than you would like.
What ex-NHS actually tells you
It is worth being precise about this, because it gets used loosely. Ex-NHS provenance genuinely means something: NHS equipment is maintained on planned schedules by in-house clinical engineering, with service records, and it is decommissioned for reasons that are usually about contracts and standardisation rather than the item failing.
What it does not mean is that the item is tested, calibrated or ready for clinical use. Whoever sells it to you, that part is your responsibility. Read our honest explainer on the ex-NHS label.
Questions worth asking any seller
- What exactly was tested, and what was not? Fully working is not an answer.
- What is included, and what is missing? Leads, probes, cuffs, chargers, trolleys and manuals are where the value hides.
- Is this the actual item in the photographs?
- What is the total landed cost including shipping and VAT?
- What happens if it arrives faulty?
Buying as an institution
If you are buying for a trust, university or local authority, the deciding factor is usually paperwork rather than price. Auctions generally want immediate payment, which rarely fits a procurement cycle. We accept purchase orders, issue quotes and pro-forma invoices, and supply a full VAT invoice with every order. Our purchase order guide covers the process end to end.
Browse our current ex-hospital stock, all fixed price, all dispatched from Blackburn.