The John Lewis Partnership is adding a wellbeing area for medical staff and volunteers at the Nightingale NHS Hospital London to provide what it says will be a sanctuary for them to relax in their “extremely challenging environment.”
Part of that section of the main hospital will include music from composer Alejandro Bonatto, who has created a playlist for one of three different wellbeing zones.
In addition, John Lewis Partnership is also teaming with the British Medical Association (BMA) to distribute care packages for frontline NHS workers at the busiest hospitals across the UK. The retailer is making 400 deliveries of essential items to help refresh NHS staff. Nightingale London and the main London NHS Trusts are the first to receive the care packages.
“We are so grateful to the John Lewis Partnership for their continued commitment to taking care of NHS staff,” Matthew Trainer, Deputy CEO for 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.
“This is a fantastic example of people and companies coming together to help NHS staff as they respond to the greatest public health challenge in over a century – but every member of the public can play their part too, in particular by staying home to slow the spread of the virus and save lives.”
Over the next few weeks, these boxes (which include toiletries, snacks and drinks) will be delivered to all acute hospital trusts in England/UK to safely distribute to high intensity clinical areas such as Critical Care and Intensive Care units. This will ensure healthcare staff working long hours and under terrible strain receive the products they need.
“We salute the courage and humanity of every NHS worker fighting this awful virus,” Sharon White, Partner & Chairman, John Lewis Partnership, says. “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.”
The John Lewis Partnership is also accommodating on-call NHS key workers on its Leckford Estate in Hampshire, which are usually used as holiday homes for Partners. Twelve lodges have been available to the Hampshire NHS Trust. Those workers are primarily at The Royal County Hampshire Hospital in Winchester.
“When so many healthcare staff are putting in hour after hour to look after so many very sick patients, a deed, such as this, to show how much they are appreciated, can make all the difference – supplying healthcare staff with essentials they may otherwise have difficulty getting hold of because of the hours they are working, – doing long shifts – is truly welcome and we are very grateful, ” said. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, British Medical Association Chair of Council.
During the COVID-19 crisis, Waitrose and John Lewis have:
- Set aside hard-to-find and essential items for NHS workers at Waitrose stores.
- Given NHS staff priority checkout service in the retailer’s shops.
- Gifted essential food items, hot meals and items such as pillows and phone chargers to local hospitals through our Partners in John Lewis and Waitrose.
- Gave 50,000 boxes of Easter confectionery to NHS workers.
