Patient Property Boxes The Older People’s Improvement Collaborative (TOPIC) Improving patient care and patient experience

In July 2020 South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust launched a new initiative which aimed to improve the care and experience of older patients in hospital and attract more nurses to work in this important field. To understand patient experiences of care in relation to the key areas of The Older Persons Improvement Collaborative (TOPIC) the patient experience team asked Healthwatch South Tyneside to gather the views of patients, carers/family and friends and staff on wards 2 and 19 around recently introduced patient property boxes. The aim of the patient property box is to support patients while they are away for home by providing a centralised place to contain the items they need to carry out activities of daily living. By having the items easily accessible to patients and stored in an identifiable way, it reduces the risk of loss when the patient is in an unfamiliar setting.  They spoke to 37 patients and 11 staff.

Boxes are being given to and used by many patients on both wards. Staff assess patients on their suitability to receive and use a patient property box. Many patients seem to understand the boxes, their use and report the benefits of having a central place for essential items. 

Some patients could not recall the boxes being given or explained, perhaps due to poor health and lots of information being given on admission. Although most patients indicated they were aware they should leave valuables at home, some mentioned - and Healthwatch observed instances - where jewellery, wallets and watches were stored inside boxes.

Boxes reduce “clutter” on tables. Healthwatch observed some patients’ boxes placed far away from them (sometimes on the other side of the room or out of reach/sight of the person). 

Healthwatch observed and heard how many people struggled to open/close the boxes (often due to the tabs which need to slide into the box to securely close the lid). Boxes are bright and easily recognisable around the ward/bed space. Ease of use and recycling/reusing were common responses. Concerns were raised by some around possible theft/loss of the box with everything in it.

Staff have voiced that the boxes make logging the items a person has on admission easier. Tick boxes to the lid of the box enable staff to mark which items are contained, meaning communication of items accompanying/required by the person and what may be missing is clearer. It also, to a degree, enables patient items to be checked on discharge. Staff reported boxes to be useful and there had been a reduction in lost items.