'Please return our crutches' say Hartlepool health bosses after hospital shortage during Covid-19

Urgent care practitioner Yvonne Knight, left, patient flow facilitator Natalie Grey and healthcare assistant Ian Hewitson.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has asked patients to bring them back once they are no longer needed.

Around 10 to 15 pairs are given every day from urgent care centres at both the University Hospital of Hartlepool and University Hospital of North Tees.

But a significant number have not been returned and that’s partly due to social distancing measures and public concerns about visiting hospitals, say officials.

Nicola Grieves, clinical lead for urgent care, said: “We know that returning crutches is the last thing on anyone’s mind when they’re properly back on their feet again after breaking a leg or foot.

“Historically, we have always had issues with a large number of crutches not being returned but this has become an even more significant problem over the course of Covid-19.

“People have been unable or reluctant to visit hospital to return them, while our orthopaedic outpatients departments have also been holding virtual telephone and video appointments so patients haven’t needed to come in.

“We need the crutches for other patients so we’re asking people to hand them in. Many will have stored them away and forgotten they are in the home.

“There will be a collection point outside the main entrances of both our urgent care centres in Stockton and Hartlepool so no one will need to come into the main buildings.

“These crutches are then professionally cleaned so they are safe to use by other patients.”

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