Health chiefs launch amnesty over equipment

Health chiefs in the city are now launching an equipment amnesty in a bid to recover the items which have not been given back to Bradford Royal Infirmary and St Luke’s Hospital.

Throughout June, July and August, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is appealing for people to return equipment such as crutches, walking frames and dressing aids which can be re-used for future patients.

Physiotherapy manager Jill Gregson said: “Many patients simply forget to return the equipment that has been loaned to them by the hospital, once they are no longer needed, and instead store them in garages, cupboards or sheds.

“The idea of the amnesty is to encourage local people to have a good look around their homes, including attics and garages, and to return any pieces of equipment to the hospital so that they can be cleaned and reused by patients who require them. It is really important to us that we don’t want people to feel embarrassed when they return these items as we are just very grateful that they have been returned.

“In this new era of austerity within the NHS the returned equipment will boost our stocks and help us to ensure we have the right piece of equipment for future patients and it will also mean that we don’t have to spend resources replacing items that are otherwise sitting around in people’s garages, sheds and attics.”

People can leave hospital equipment between 9am and 4pm from Monday to Friday at Wheelchair Services, Cemetery Road, Bradford, and at the physiotherapy departments at Bradford Royal Infirmary and St Luke’s Hospital.

Bradford South public governor Mike Turner said: “We are holding an equipment amnesty at the trust in order that the NHS doesn’t have to fork out needless money on equipment that people have forgotten to bring back.”