Patients are being given boxes to keep their glasses, dentures and hearing aids safe while they’re in Walsall Manor Hospital thanks to a charity initiative.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s Well Wishers charity initially issued these to patients on elderly care wards during Falls Awareness Week last year as part of a focus on factors that can lead to falls and raise awareness of what can be done to avoid them.

Now, the boxes are being issued across the hospital – the Emergency Department, Acute Medical Unit, ICU, Cardiology and day case wards have had theirs and the rest will be distributed shortly.

Georgie Westley, Fundraising Manager at Walsall Healthcare, said: “Each box has a label for the patient’s name, date of birth and ward details to be filled in along with a list of the items that are going in for safekeeping.

“We know many people come into hospital unexpectedly and many don’t have family support – items can easily get lost or misplaced, plus patients may need to move out of the Emergency Department to a ward for instance and need to keep their things with them. The falls week focus we held really highlighted the importance of patients’ personal items and the impact that having no glasses or hearing aids can have on communication for example, and the importance of maintaining mouth care while in hospital, ensuring patients’ have their dentures.

“Our staff will be encouraged to use the boxes, but we want patients to be aware they’re available and make the most of them too. If they prove to be effective in improving our patients’ experience, Well Wishers will look to fund more.”