Loved ones can drop off essentials for hospital patients

Loved ones will now be able to drop off essential items for patients staying at The Royal Oldham Hospital. 

The new patient property drop-off service has been launched by the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group, which oversees the Rochdale Road hospital.

It runs between 9am and 4pm from Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) at the main patient/visitor only entrance, which you can locate here. 

Items which can be dropped off can include:

• a change of clothes or underwear;
• mobile phone, tablet, headphones, e-reader and charger;
• reading glasses, dentures and hearing aids;
• toothbrush, hairbrush and a small number of other bathroom essentials;
• a small comforting personal item such as a photo, book or magazine.

Full details of what can be dropped off with can be found here https://www.pat.nhs.uk/news/Latest-Visitor-Guidance-to-our-Hospitals.htm. 

The items should ideally be packed into a clear plastic bag, with the name of the patient clearly visible and the ward that they are on.

A team of volunteers will receive the items at the hospital entrance and ensure that they are delivered to loved ones on the ward.

Tammy Pike, Group assistant director of patient/service user experience quality improvement department, said: "With restrictions on the visitors allowed on our hospital sites at the moment, it is important that we do everything to keep our patients connected with their loved ones.

"The property drop-off point is another example of how the NCA family is helping families using our services to stay connected.

"It complements our NCA Send a Letter scheme which enables families and loved ones to email their relatives at a dedicated address, monitored by staff from our volunteer services team. The letters or photos are printed out by our staff, laminated and taken to the ward where the patient is being cared for." 

Loved ones with relatives at The Royal Oldham Hospital should email sendaletter@pat.nhs.uk  Families are asked to include the patient’s name, date of birth, hospital site where they are being treated and the ward or department number.