Hospital charity The Friends of Airedale (FoA) has provided another £4,000 worth of grants to improve patient care.
Two new sets of informal dining tables and chairs have been presented to Ward 7 (female surgery), and the charity has also paid for the servicing and repair of 12 wheelchairs for the hospital chapel.
The £3,000 worth of furniture for Ward 7 was agreed by Trustees following a request for tables and chairs for the day room. Said ward manager Danielle Dalton: “The idea is to encourage patients to leave their beds and socialise with others at mealtimes. This can be really important following surgery but not something we were previously able to offer without anywhere for people to go. We’re delighted that the Friends were able to help us with this and to see patients using the new facility.”
Lead chaplain Liz Maitland was equally pleased when the charity agreed to fund the cost of vital repairs and servicing to its fleet of wheelchairs. Said Liz: “We rely on volunteers being able to bring patients along to our Sunday services in these wheelchairs each week. The cost of repairs was nearly £1,000 so we were incredibly grateful when the Friends agreed to step in and help.”
Said FoA chairman Alison Dixon: “Presenting much needed equipment and ‘extras’, which the NHS can’t fund, to wards and departments around the hospital, is an essential part of our aim to improve the patient and visitor experience at Airedale. We’re always delighted to help out where we can.”
Ward 7 Seen from l-r Ionela Mierlas healthcare support worker; Danielle Cook junior sister; Michelle Archer healthcare support worker
The Rev Liz Maitland Lead Chaplain at the hospital chapel seen with one of the 12 serviced and repaired wheelchairs