Hospital calls crutch amnesty

3:32pm Thursday 21st August 2008

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DO you have a set of crutches in the cupboard under the stairs, or a walking frame gathering dust in the garage?

The physiotherapy department at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester would like them back if they were loaned to you following treatment.

A walking aid amnesty has been declared by the department for the month of September and a number of drop-off points set up.

If you have any walking aids that were borrowed from the hospital in Winchester and you are no longer using them you can return them to the main reception area in Butterfield wing at the hospital, to Friarsgate Medical Centre in the town centre or to the physiotherapy department at Andover War Memorial Hospital.

Crutches only may be returned to the physiotherapy outpatient clinic at the Hub sports centre in Bishopstoke recreation ground, Eastleigh.

Zoe Oram, senior physiotherapist said "We lend around 200 crutches, walking frames and walking sticks every month to patients following injury or surgery for short or long term periods, but often patients forget to return them when they no longer need them.

"This is perfectly understandable, however we are now appealing for anyone who does have any of our equipment to return it to us.

"We can then lend it to another patient, once it has been cleaned thoroughly to Trust standards, safety checked and ferrules (plastic ends) changed and reused, this will enable us to reduce our costs dramatically."