DHSC seeks hoarded equipment

Public encouraged to return mobility aids

Give us back our kit!

That's what the Department of Health and Social Care is saying to members of the public who are hoarding hospital-issued equipment including crutches, wheelchairs and adjustable electric beds.

Patients are lent the items through their rehabilitation process, but many of these items are never returned.

The department says the equipment it issues is, in most cases, designed to be reusable.

It's thought many items are not returned because people either aren't aware they belong to the department, or don't know how to return them.

But in some cases, reusable equipment has been disposed of at the Island's civic amenity sites, given away to charity shops or even sold on social media.

There's actually a specialist hub in Braddan which collects, cleans, refurbishes and distributes a range of equipment for re-use.

A Loan Store at the Kirby Farm Industrial Estate is open five days a week, aiming to help patients stay well in their own homes and avoid hospital and residential care where possible.

Members of the public are asked to help the DHSC save money and return any equipment that are no longer needed - either by dropping it off at the Braddan repository, or by calling 693553 to arrange for collection.