New colourful containers are in place at a Norfolk hospital to help patients find their dentures or locate hearing aids.
They are available on every ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn and will help people locate important personal items and means they can go with patients if they need to change location.
The brightly coloured pink and orange-lidded pots have been paid for by the hospital’s League of Friends.
Linda Purdy, Associate Director of Patient Experience, who has been leading the initiative, said: “These new pots will make such a difference to patients and staff. It’s inevitable patients will want to remove either their teeth or hearing aids during the course of their stay. These items are small and easily mislaid, particularly if patients need to be moved to a different area of the hospital that specialises in the care they need.
“It’s very difficult for people to eat without their teeth and the lack of a hearing aid can make conversations very difficult which can make patients feel isolated and disorientated. These new pots are bright and easy to spot, making mealtimes and conversations much swifter and enjoyable for patients who need these aids.”
Each pot is labelled with the patient’s name and once they have been given to a patient, they can take the container home to keep.
The idea for these new pots came from hospital staff.