'˜Bring back loaned items' plea

Now is your chance to free up some space in your home and return any community equipment you no longer need, so it can be used by others.

Hertfordshire Equipment Service (HES) loans up to 80,000 items of equipment to more than 25,000 people each year. But around a quarter of the loaned equipment is never returned, adding an estimated £2 million or more to council and healthcare budgets.

In the past, officers have found equipment languishing in cupboards or being put to other uses – including a commode being used as a plant stand.

HES, which is jointly funded by Herts County Council and Hertfordshire’s Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), provides equipment such as mobile hoists, bathing equipment, beds, toilet frames and commodes to residents as part of a care package or to help people with disabilities.

Although items are labelled with return instructions, people are often unaware that all they need to do, once it is no longer needed, is send an email or make a quick call to get it collected.

HES is able to clean, service and recycle about 80 per cent of the equipment returned.

Anyone with equipment to return should email HES at [email protected] or call 01707 292555, giving their name, address and contact phone number.