Latest news with #RoyalBerkshireNHS
BBC News
a day ago
- Health
- BBC News
Keeping crutches costs £70k a year, NHS trust says
An NHS trust has said patients keeping unneeded crutches and zimmer frames is costing it about £70,000 per Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said it handed out thousands of pieces of mobility equipment during the only 38% of all crutches and 15% of zimmer frames were returned during trust said unwanted mobility aids could be returned to the main reception at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, and doing so made a "significant difference to the well-being of patients requiring mobility assistance". Albert Coombes, a physiotherapist at the hospital, said the reason for people not returning them could be "not enough education from us when you're being given the walking aides while in hospital"."Secondly, we're all human beings, we all forget," he said."We're using social media and various other avenues and educating our staff as well to give patients that information so they can return their walking aides to us after they've used it."If you search on the internet it will come up with the Recycle Now website, if you search 'How do I return my walking aides?', that will give you your nearest drop off site." The trust also confirmed no one will be punished in any way for "late returns" of crutches, and all returned equipment will be checked before being reissued to patients. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Berkshire hospital trust given £4m ahead of delayed rebuild
A hospital that previously said it had a £100m maintenance backlog has been given a share of £4.4m for Berkshire Hospital in Reading, which is awaiting a delayed rebuild, and Bracknell Healthspace will split the government grant.A £750m funding package, earmarked in the Autumn Budget, has been parcelled out to NHS trusts in in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been given more than £20m, with more than £15m allocated to Oxfordshire and more than £6m to Dorset. The government said the funding would fix leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues in "crumbling" January, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said ministers' decision to delay the £2bn rebuild until at least 2037 was a "serious concern".Chief executive Steve McManus said maintaining the hospital until then could cost nearly £400m. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is also awaiting a delayed new hospital, has been allocated £ John Radcliffe (JR) Hospital and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury have together been given £ January 2024, the Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, Layla Moran, said the JR needed £147m for Secretary Wes Streeting said the grants, announced on Friday, would prevent cancelled appointments and said: "A decade and a half of underinvestment left hospitals crumbling, with burst pipes flooding emergency departments, faulty electrical systems shutting down operating theatres, and mothers giving birth in outdated facilities that lack basic dignity."The Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats have previously criticised the Labour government's decision to pause the building of some new Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents health managers, said the £750m allocated in England was a "small down payment on the £14bn maintenance backlog that remains".Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust has been approached for further comment. Funding for main hospitals in southern England John Radcliffe Hospital (Oxford), Horton General Hospital (Banbury) - £10mSouthampton General Hospital, Princess Anne Hospital (Southampton) - £7.3mRoyal Berkshire Hospital (Reading), Bracknell Health Space - £4.4mPoole General Hospital, Royal Bournemouth Hospital - £2.8mDorset County Hospital (Dorchester) - £2.7mBasingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital (Winchester) - £1.6mSt Mary's Hospital (Isle of Wight) - £1.1mQueen Alexandra Hospital (Portsmouth), Health Records Library, Totton Renal Services, St Marys Community Hospital - £220,000(source: DHSC) You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
