Freedom of Information Request: 0525
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) completed a merger by acquisition of Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT) on 1st April 2018. Due to historical differences in data collection/reporting across UHB and the former Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust this response has been provided by hospital site.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
- Do you have a system for recording loans and returns of:
- Crutches
No. The monitoring of crutches is via our external provider Mediquip.
- Wheelchairs
QEHB has a bespoke IT system called WHEELS (Wheelchair Hub Enables Efficient Loan Service) which allows the recording of all loans and returns of short term loans to patients
- Other walking aids
No – The monitoring of other walking aids is via our external provider Mediquip.
- If yes, please provide, for each category and for each of the past five financial years:
- How much you spent on the items
See attached spreadsheet QEExpenditure.
- The number of items bought
See attached spreadsheet QEExpenditure.
- The number of items issued to patients
Wheelchairs
2013/2014 – we do not hold this information
2014/2015 – 716 wheelchairs
2015/2016 – 627 wheelchairs
2016/2017 – 704 wheelchairs
2017/2018 – 483 wheelchairs
- The number of items returned by patients
We do not hold this information.
- The number of items reused for other patients
We do not hold this information.
- The number of items disposed of, and where available, their destination (e.g. sent to waste firm, donated to care home)
We do not hold this information.
3) Please provide me with a copy of any trust guidelines on the purchase and disposal of crutches, wheelchairs and walking aids.
Please find attached procurement policy.
Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Hospital
1) Do you have a system for recording loans and returns of
- Crutches
- Wheelchairs
- Other walking aids
Heartlands Hospital
- Crutches – No – equipment ordered via community equipment loans.
- Wheelchairs – Yes – system in place from April 2016. Prior to this date only financial information is available.
- Other walking aids – No – equipment ordered via community equipment loans
Good Hope and Solihull Hospitals
No – All equipment is ordered via community equipment loans.
- If yes, please provide, for each category and for each of the past five financial years
- How much you spent on the items
Wheelchairs
Heartlands Hospital
Please see attachment “Heartlands Wheelchair Expenditure”.
- The number of items bought
Wheelchairs
Heartlands Hospital
2016/17 0
2017/18 0
2018/19 17 (to date)
- The number of items issued to patients
Heartlands Hospital
Wheelchairs – 119 from April 2016. This information is not held by financial year.
- The number of items returned by patients.
Heartlands Hospital
Wheelchairs – 105 from April 2016. We do not hold this information by financial year.
- The number of items reused for other patients
Heartlands Hospital
All wheelchairs reused several times since April 2016. We do not hold this information by financial year.
- The number of items disposed of, and where available, their destination (e.g. sent to waste firm, donated to care home)
Heartlands
6 wheelchairs scrapped
2016/2017 – 3 Unable to retrieve
2017/2018 – 2 Unable to retrieve
2018/2019 – 3 Unable to retrieve
3) Please provide me with a copy of any trust guidelines on the purchase and disposal of crutches, wheelchairs and walking aids.
We do not hold this information.
Attached documents:
