When individuals are involved in an accident which requires urgent care, their clothes may be spoiled or, in some cases, cut away during the course of treatment. With hundreds of items received within a range of sizes, the service will now be swapping hospital gowns and pyjamas, which are usually offered in these circumstances if the patient is fit to go home, for the donated garments.
Ashley Taylor, Clinical Support Worker within the Emergency Department and one of the organisers behind this appeal, said: “As a team, we’ve been utterly blown away by the response to this call for clothing. We initially used Facebook to share the message with friends and family. Within days we started receiving items and we now have enough clothing to last us a number of months.
“Within the Emergency Department, each shift is different, bringing its own challenges. Sometimes we have to cut away a patient’s clothing, or at other times an individual will come to us, only wearing something light. Being able to offer a patient something comfortable and appropriate to wear makes a huge difference, and as a team we want to share our thanks with everyone who has donated.”
All items have been sorted, cleaned and are now safely stored, with everything from jackets, dresses, t-shirts and undergarments donated. The service believes it now has enough clothing to last a number of months, and is not requesting anything further.
The Emergency Departments at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH) have been extremely busy this winter. In late November through to December, the Trust experienced a significant increase in attendances, with the urgent service registering almost 2,000 more patients than in the same period in 2018. If attendances continue at this rate, clinicians are forecasting to see 187,000 patients across Doncaster and Worksop, which is around 12,000 more attendances than last year.
Rebecca Joyce, Chief Operating Officer at the Trust, said: “Since late November, our Emergency Departments have been extremely busy. With record-breaking attendances for both children and adults, in December, our teams cared for 15,455 local people, many more than in the same period in 2018.
“Please remember to only use the Emergency Department when it’s just that – an emergency. However, if you are ill or injured, you can seek advice by calling NHS 111, making an appointment with your GP or dropping by your local pharmacy. Please help us during this most challenging part of the year.”