26 May 2020

Mobile phones have been donated by Tesco Mobile to help homeless clients at UHBW connect with their support network.

30 telephones with credit were donated by the supplier and so far 11 have been given out to clients who did not have a phone on admission.

Lucy Harrison, Clinical Coordinator in the Homeless Support Team, said: "The phones have been really well received and have enabled our clients to reconnect with family and be in touch with their support network, most of which is telephone contact due to COVID-19.

"Where patients have been barrier nursed, we have also been able to talk to them on the phone while in hospital.

"Here is just one of the patient stories.

Patient H was admitted to a COVID-19 ward. He had had all his belongings stolen whilst sleeping rough before admission. We gave him a mobile phone donated by Above & Beyond and were able to stay in touch with him each day in hospital. He was very grateful for this, and couldn’t really believe it was a gift. The council used the phone to interview him for emergency accommodation in which he still lives. He uses the phone to stay in touch with his GP for ongoing healthcare and support agencies in the community.

Another client used the phone to call his mother, before returning to Manchester to stay with her.

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