Generous Asda gift boost for hospital team that helps patients prepare for home

THE work of the dedicated team who help patients at The Princess Alexandra Hospital get ready to go home has been generously supported by their local Asda store, and last week the team were thrilled when colleagues from the Harlow supermarket handed the nurses and support staff a cheque for £1,000.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust (PAHT) in Harlow has a specialist discharge team which focuses on making sure that when patients are ready to leave they have the right conditions at home. They are particularly concerned when they know that a patient is homeless or has limited means.

Earlier this year Asda made a generous donation of £70 worth of much-needed clothing to help the team ensure everyone can leave hospital with dignity. Observing the great work the team have been doing and the demand for its services, Asda’s community champion Rachel Forth determined that the team would be supported further by the store.

Elderly or vulnerable patients may be admitted to hospital with little or no clothing of their own. The team are pleased that now they now have some clothing available for those patients. The clothes are a lifeline in an emergency situation and the gift will provide support for the team’s work for another year.

Discharge team member, Stephanie Newman, voluntary services discharge co-ordinator at PAHT said: “Although we are only able to give clothes in an acute emergency situation, this wonderful donation will support us for a year. The donation will allow us to help some of our most vulnerable patients to get ready with dignity, leave hospital in clothing not damaged by illness and for some homeless patients with insufficient clothing.
“Thank you very much to Rachel Forth, Asda Community Champion, who organised the donation. We’re really grateful for the support from Asda Harlow and the Asda Foundation.”

Stephanie explained that the gift supports the discharge team’s campaign to encourage patients to ‘get up, get dressed and get better’ as part of a nationwide project known as #endpjparalysis. The campaign aims to get patients mobile to avoid muscle wastage, and being able to provide patients in need with clothing will help the process.