A ‘Parcels to Patients’ service to ensure people have their personal belongings while staying at Walsall Manor Hospital is now being expanded to cover weekends too.

The service was set up by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s Patient Experience Team towards the end of last year and has been well used by families and friends of patients who are able to book a slot to deliver a parcel of personal belongings, which will then be taken to the patient staying in hospital. It has been a real benefit during the Covid-19 pandemic as visiting restrictions remain in place in Walsall as in hospitals across the country. Hundreds of parcels have been dropped off since it was set up.

Garry Perry, Head of Patient Relations, said: “We are now running the service on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am and 2pm to make it easier for people to bring items in as we appreciate they may not be available during the week and may be key workers themselves or juggling home schooling or other caring responsibilities.

“Patients really want their own things with them; their own nightwear, clothing and toiletries. They have often been brought into hospital suddenly and may be too unwell to get a bag together or may live alone and have no-one to do so for them, relying on friends or family to do so at a later date. Parcels to Patients service is proving a really useful service and I’d like to thank our volunteers who are running it for us.”

Relatives or friends of patients need to call the Patient Experience Team  on 07768 838919 to make an appointment to drop off the patient’s belongings. Each parcel should be wrapped in wipeable material, such as plastic, and sealed with a label detailing the patient’s name, ward and date of birth. Relatives will be required to complete a document and provide details about the contents of the parcel and sign to say they have left it in the care of trust staff/volunteers.

Once the parcel has been received and documented, it is cleaned before it is taken by a volunteer to the appropriate ward. The parcel is signed for by a staff member from that ward.

The service operates from Monday to Friday from 10am to 12pm and 1pm to 3.30pm, and appointments are given on a half hourly basis.

The Parcels to Patients service will accept items such as:

• Nightwear
• Clothing
• Mobile phones
• Toiletries
• Sweets / biscuits / dry foods
• Drinks in unopened containers
• Small amounts of cash – no more than £5

It will not accept items such as:

• Drinks in opened containers
• Alcohol
• Cigarettes / tobacco / lighters
• Drugs or medications (unless agreed with the ward which the volunteer will need to check)

If you would like any more information about the Parcels to Patients service, please contact Chloe Danks on 01922 656569.