South Tyneside and Sunderland hospitals launch annual Chistmas pyjama appeal for patients

A pyjama appeal has gone out to help people stuck in hospital over Christmas and New Year.
Staff at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust supporting the appealStaff at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust supporting the appeal
Staff at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust supporting the appeal

Health chiefs say many patients have no family or friends to buy them a gift at Christmas, and each year South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust runs its #NightwearBeforeChristmas appeal which sees patients gifted pyjamas on Christmas Eve.

The Christmas before covid saw more than 1,600 items donated to the appeal.

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And Claire Boylan, an Elder Life Specialist Practitioner with the Delirium and Dementia Outreach Team (DDOT), hopes this year will prove just as successful – if not more so.

She said: “Last year we had a fantastic response, despite restrictions, to our #NightwearBeforeChristmas appeal from both inside and outside the Trust.

“This made a huge difference to the patients across both sites at Sunderland Royal Hospital and South Tyneside District Hospital.

"Everyone involved said Christmas morning was so special and the patients were delighted with their gifts.

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“The patients and their families are always so overwhelmed by the kindness of everyone involved.

“Those patients who do not have people to visit and spoil them tell staff it makes a huge difference and always puts a smile on their faces.”

The team is especially keen to see men’s items donated, as well as larger sizes for men and women.

Non-stretch silk-type materials are not ideal for patients to wear.

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Items can be wrapped with a label added to say if it is for a man or woman and its size.

Drop off for donations is at the Alexandra Centre, which is on E Floor at Sunderland Royal Hospital, between 8am-4pm or leave them at the post box at the entrance if staff are not available.

Those who would like to drop of items at South Tyneside District Hospital can drop them off at the Discharge Lounge, which is based next to the Moorlands Day Unit and opposite Out Patients, between 8am-8pm Monday to Saturday and from 8am-6pm on Sundays.

The deadline is Thursday, December 23, to allow the team time to get the gifts ready to be handed out the next day.

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