Christchurch hospitals’ equipment amnesty: Former patients asked to return borrowed items

Christchurch Hospital and Burwood Hospital are both running low on walking frames that are needed for patients. Photo / Supplied

Two hospitals in Christchurch have made a public cry for all their borrowed medical equipment to be returned “urgently” as their stock runs low.

Christchurch Hospital and Burwood Hospital are both running low on walking frames that are needed for patients, they’ve turned to ex-patients for the solution.

Jacqui Lunday Johnstone, the Canterbury executive director of Allied Health has asked former hospital patients to return any equipment they may have borrowed from either hospital.

“[Anyone who] has forgotten to return it – no matter how long ago – is asked to give it back,” said Johnstone.

“No questions asked.”

Johnstone acknowledged that people can sometimes accidentally overlook equipment they’ve borrowed, or store it away and forget about it.

However, this appears to have occurred too frequently as it’s deprived other patients in need of accessing such equipment or caused delays in their discharge from the hospital.

The Canterbury executive director of Allied Health acknowledges people can accidentally overlook equipment they’ve borrowed. Photo / File

“If we don’t get some of this equipment back there will be an impact on discharges over the busy winter months,” she said.

“If anyone has any equipment that’s sitting unused and unneeded in their home or garage, please return it to Christchurch or Burwood Hospitals.”

The call-out has extended particularly to second-hand shops that may have donated any equipment that actually belongs to Te Whatu Ora.

Hospital officials are on the hunt for walking frames, shower stools, toilet frames, bed levers, crutches, pulse oximeters and any other hospital equipment ex-patients no longer need.

People who still own such property are asked to return the equipment at specific drop-off locations on Riccarton Ave near Christchurch Hospital and Mairehau Rd in Burwood.