Canterbury hospitals are asking people to return hundreds of pieces of loan medical equipment believed to be sitting unused in homes, garages and spare rooms across the region.

Health New Zealand has launched an equipment amnesty, encouraging Cantabrians who no longer need hospital-issued items to return them so they can be cleaned and reissued to other patients.

Wheelchairs, walking frames, shower stools, toilet chairs, elbow crutches and bed levers are among the equipment being sought.

Thousands of items are on loan across Canterbury at any one time, and Health NZ estimates several hundred pieces may now be ready to be returned.

Health NZ Chief of Allied Health, Scientific and Technical for Canterbury and the West Coast Sandy Clemett said the equipment was essential for helping patients safely recover at home after leaving hospital.

“We make sure we have adequate amounts of equipment and buy more each year in anticipation of demand during our busiest times,” Clemett said.

“Yet we’re finding we are still loaning out more equipment than we have returned back to us.”

Clemett said people often simply forgot to return equipment once they had recovered, while larger items could also be difficult to transport.

“Many of these items may be sitting unused in garages and spare rooms across the region after people recover, so we’re keen to see them returned and reused when they’re no longer needed.”

Hospital staff had been contacting people who had borrowed equipment, but Clemett said making those calls took valuable time away from other work.

“This is a friendly reminder to either drop an item back at one of five locations, or if you can’t return the equipment yourself, give us a call and we’ll help find a solution,” she said.

“By returning items, we can all help support our community, so another Cantabrian can have access to what they need when they leave hospital.”

Equipment can be returned to the Rangiora Health Hub, Christchurch Hospital, Burwood Hospital, Hospital Supply Department, or Enable NZ.

People who are unable to return equipment themselves can call 03 364 0700 to arrange assistance.