A partnership between the British Medical Association (BMA) and John Lewis Partnership has brought together a wellbeing area for staff and volunteers at the NHS Nightingale Hospital in east London, housed within the Excel exhibition space.
The wellbeing area, which is within the main part of the hospital, is the designated place where staff can take time out to recharge their batteries and emotionally decompress from their extremely challenging workplace environment. Composer Alejandro Bonatto has created a playlist to help staff relax.
Since April 10 John Lewis has also been delivering care packages containing essential items for NHS staff to all acute hospital trusts in England, Wales, and Scotland. The Nightingale London and other London trusts were the first to receive the care packages, which are being distributed to staff working in high intensity clinical areas such as critical care and intensive care units.
Put together based on advice from the BMA, the packages include non-clinical essentials such as toiletries, snack food, tea, coffee, and socks, alongside a wellbeing leaflet with information about a 24/7 counselling service and guidance from the BMA on a range of issues.
Matthew Trainer, deputy chief executive of NHS Nightingale London, said, “The care packages, designed in collaboration with the BMA, will be a welcome gesture of support for busy staff on the go, and the wellbeing space will allow our staff much needed time out during their shifts.”
Chaand Nagpaul, BMA chair of council, said the BMA hoped that the boxes would bring a few smiles and some comfort to as many staff as possible.
Sharon White, partner and chair of the John Lewis Partnership, commented, “We are exceptionally lucky to have an amazing health service open to all. As a small token, we’re donating food and essential items to the NHS; we’re making it easier for NHS workers to shop in Waitrose; and we’re helping staff at the new Nightingale Hospital in London. We will do more over the coming weeks.”
The John Lewis Partnership is also accommodating on-call NHS key workers on its Leckford Estate in Hampshire and is gifting essential food items, hot meals, pillows and phone chargers to local hospitals. The retailer also gave away 50,000 boxes of Easter confectionery to NHS workers.
