Knowsley’s Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES), is running a campaign to encourage patients to return all NHS loaned equipment that they no longer need, so it can be cleaned, recycled and put to good use again.
The service, which is delivered by North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, provides free NHS equipment to support patients across Knowsley and Sefton.
ICES is asking that everyone takes the time to check if they have any NHS community equipment they no longer need and to get in touch as soon as possible to arrange a free collection, as part of their equipment amnesty.
Every year around 20,000 pieces of equipment are loaned out in Knowsley but less than half of these are returned. This costs the local NHS over £300,000 a year to replace.
Some examples of how much money could be saved by returning unused NHS community equipment include:
Each wheeled zimmer frame saves the NHS around £17
Each bath lift returned saves the NHS around £200
Each pressure mattress returned saves the NHS between £140 and £55
Each kitchen trolley returned saves the NHS around £40
Sara Harrison, Head of Service for the Centre of Independent Living, said: “We need to make best use of our resources and ask anyone who has any equipment such as walking aids, kitchen or bathroom aids, supportive seating, specialist mattresses or cushions to kindly return them.
“Everyone will be aware of the financial pressures currently facing the NHS, and the Community Equipment Amnesty is one way to help save some money locally.”