Worthing hospital patients to get clothing packs as part of charity initiative

Vulnerable patients leaving Worthing Hospital will receive comfortable clothing packs as part of a new initiative being trialled by a charity.
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The Love Your Hospital pilot project provides patients with lightweight trousers and jumper sets to ensure they are appropriately dressed for their journey home.

The idea was developed by Richard Knowles, transport and laundry manager, and Frances Usher-Smith, matron for dementia at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

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Frances said: “We often see patients who live alone, are homeless or don’t have any loved ones nearby to provide suitable clean clothing to wear on the journey home from hospital.

Richard Knowles and Frances Usher-Smith with the Home in Comfort packsRichard Knowles and Frances Usher-Smith with the Home in Comfort packs
Richard Knowles and Frances Usher-Smith with the Home in Comfort packs

“As part of the trust’s ‘Respect’ and ‘Compassion’ values, by providing warm clothes we’ll continue to give our patients outstanding care as they leave us to return home and it will go a long way in maintaining their dignity too.”

The Home in Comfort initiative will be trialled at Worthing Hospital and St Richard’s Hospital, in Chichester, until December 1.

Love Your Hospital, the dedicated NHS charity for St Richard’s, Worthing and Southlands Hospitals, also provides funding for Welcome Home packs containing essentials such as milk, bread and cheese for vulnerable patients going home.

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David Clayton-Evans, head of the charity, said: “As an NHS charity, we look to support hospital projects that show a clear and direct benefit to our patients.

“We work closely with staff to identify ways donations given to us so generously by the local community can support the funding of upgraded medical equipment, improve hospital facilities and invest in the development of staff.

“In this case, enabling staff to provide dignified care for patients who do not have that support waiting at home is an incredibly worthwhile venture and has the full backing of the charity.”

If successful, the Home in Comfort project will become available to all in-patient wards across the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

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