Trust improves the wellbeing of staff during COVID-19 thanks to generous donations
The Trust would like to thank all who donated to its JustGiving fund so generously and selflessly to support the wellbeing of staff working in the organisation during the COVID-19 pandemic. To date more than £35,000 has been raised. The Trust has also received £130,000 from NHS Together Charities.
More than 1,500 Trust staff across more than 70 teams have benefitted from the funds raised which have provided spaces staff rest and relaxation. These ‘Calm Zones’ have been created in areas close to acute wards to enable teams to rest, reflect, and access support from the Trust’s Wellbeing Team if they wish to.
The team on Ward 12B at Wycombe Hospital were delighted to receive two massage chairs, with footstools for their staff room, describing them as: “a little slice of calm during a busy day and a treat for all. It’s a delight to have a present exclusively for staff.”
Our junior doctors requested a coffee machine and beans for their mess (rest area) and were very happy to receive it.
The mess president, Dr Jennifer Aboujawdeh, said: “I would like to say thank you on behalf of all the junior doctors. The machine has proved to be extremely popular.”
The donations have enabled the Trust to provide warm fleeces for community teams, televisions for the research and innovation hub, hot water boilers, bean bags and comfortable chairs for staff rest areas.
There are two Calm Zones at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and one at Wycombe Hospital available 24 hours a day each fitted with relaxed seating and entertainment systems to play soothing music and guided meditation. An additional outdoor ‘Eco Pod’ will be available in January 2021 at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Kathleen Hartburn, Sister on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Stoke Mandeville Hospital said: “Working in ICU can be very stressful and emotional, even without a global pandemic to contend with. To have a space away from the unit where we can spend our breaks is invaluable. We are all trying to restore and build our resilience and the outdoor space is simply our little sanctuary, where we can focus on our wellbeing.”
A number of outdoor spaces have been refurbished across the Trust, including gardens at Amersham Hospital, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Winslow Health Centre, Rayners Hedge and Wycombe Hospital.
The David Brown Rainbow Garden at Stoke Mandeville Hospital now has a patio area with newly planted shrubs and seating. Before the second wave of the pandemic, a small group of junior doctors held a teaching session in the garden.
The Haleacre Rainbow Garden at Amersham Hospital has been rejuvenated and is now a lovely outdoor space with seating, plants, bunting and even a blackboard. The Trust is grateful for the support of the Planataria Manager at Haddenham Garden Centre, and to GingerLemonsBunting who designed the bunting.
Trust chief executive, Neil Macdonald, said: “We are so thankful for the support that we have received from generous donors in local and wider communities and NHS Together Charities. The funds are being used to give our hardworking and dedicated teams comfortable spaces where they can reflect on their experiences and enjoy well-deserved and much needed rest breaks.”