The distribution of free slippers in hospitals has considerably reduced the number of injuries to patients due to falls.
Ever since the launch of this trial venture of providing free slippers, the scheme has helped lower by 30 percent, the number of falls in the wards at the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
The employees of the Trust got out seventy pairs of slippers using the funds from the Trust’s charitable finances, got them tested in the wards of the Hellesdon Hospital located in Norwich, Carlton Court, Lowesoft and Chatterton House in Kings Lynn.
The physiotherapist of the Trust, Ms. Loretta Burgess remarked that she was worried about certain patients not using footwear and started wondering whether that would be one of reasons for accidental falls in the wards.
She went on to say that there could be people who in an emergency walked into wards without footwear or ones that did not fit them properly. It often happened that it took a couple of days for relations to bring the necessary belongings to the hospital.
She also said that there were people in the hospital who were not in a position to purchase the right footwear probably due to tight financial conditions or due to conditions that required changing footwear often.
She added that in some cases the health and mental condition of the patient prevented them from keeping a tab on their own requirements and their belongings and who as a result have a quick footwear turnover.
Keeping all these points in mind, Ms Burgess said that she requested for funds from the charitable trust for providing free footwear and special attention to see whether this could by any chance lower the risks of falls. The wonderful news was that it did just that!
She exclaimed that in a matter of just three months the percentage of falls dropped down to 28 percent. In the course of the six months of trial, the results displayed that there was also a decrease in the number of days that a bed was being occupied by a patient, as patients were leaving the hospital sooner than before.
Ms. Loretta Burgess mentioned that they were able to provide seventy pairs of slipper in different fashions and colours for men as well as women. She stated that they also were able to get some of the slippers for lower that 6 pounds a pair but that they were sturdy and relevant for the work at hand.
She also went on to say that she had plans to provide footwear training packets to the different parts of the trust as they were of the hope that if they could assist in reducing the number of patients who were having falls they would be able to enhance their safety and their pleasure and simultaneously help the trust to save money.
If there is anyone who has a story to narrate for Norwich Evening News, they could get in touch with Call Health Reporter Kim Briscoe on 01603 772419 or send an email to kim.briscoe@archant.co.uk
