Volunteers help get packages and letters from loved ones to patients in Queen Alexandra Hospital

HUNDREDS of patients have received packages and letters from loved ones thanks to a team of volunteers.
Volunteers Patrick Hobbs, Julie Williams and Stephen HysonVolunteers Patrick Hobbs, Julie Williams and Stephen Hyson
Volunteers Patrick Hobbs, Julie Williams and Stephen Hyson

With visiting mainly suspended at Queen Alexandra Hospital to help limit the spread of coronavirus, an army of volunteers have been running a service to allow family and friends to drop off items.

It has almost been a week since Maria Blaber from Havant, was admitted to hospital and during that time she has not been able to see her family but she was left overjoyed after her son was able to drop off her iPad using the new service.

The 84-year-old said: ‘I think this is a jolly good idea.

Volunteer David MeyerVolunteer David Meyer
Volunteer David Meyer
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‘Being able to receive my personal items has really helped me a lot and I can’t praise the team enough. I never worry coming in to hospital as I know I am in safe hands and a service like this really shows how caring they are.’

Julie Williams is one of the many volunteers who has been helping to deliver the hundreds of packages and says she is pleased to be playing her part.

She said: ‘I am really glad to be doing this and I feel like I am making a real difference to the experience of the patients who are currently in hospital.

‘Some of the relatives who drop off items can get really emotional, so I am here to listen and make sure the patients receive their personal belongings.’

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The drop off station operates from Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm and 10am to 2pm on the weekend, including bank holidays. Families can drop off essential items such as shower gel or clean clothes to the Main Entrance at A Level.

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The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) has also introduced a way that enables patients to keep in contact with their friends and family by passing on personal messages and photographs which are printed out and laminated before being delivered to patients on the wards.

Hannah Chadwick, head of quality, patient experience and ward accreditation, said: ‘Thank you to the volunteers who are making this so successful.

‘They are providing a great service for our patients and their relatives, and really doing a brilliant job.’

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Loved ones can email a personal message to the PALS team emailing [email protected] or call the team Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm on 0800 917 6039 to leave a message.

Visiting will continue to be suspended for foreseeable future, except in exceptional circumstances, where an immediate family member or carer will need to contact the ward or department they would like to visit in advance to discuss appropriate arrangements.

Those circumstances include a patient receiving end-of-life care, the visitor needs to be accompanied, a birthing partner and if they are supporting someone with a mental health issue such as dementia, a learning disability or autism, where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed

In the paediatric and neonatal departments, only one parent or appropriate adult is able to be with their child at any given time and currently no other children will be able to visit.

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