News / Southmead Hospital
New clothing bank for patients at Southmead Hospital
Southmead Hospital has come up with a novel, but simple, way to encourage patients out of bed and on the road to recovery.
For many people admitted to hospital, so-called ‘pyjama paralysis’, whereby wearing nightclothes reinforces being ill and sedentary, can hinder the healing progress and discourage them from getting up and about.
In a bid to combat this and encourage people to get up and dressed, Southmead has set up a new clothing bank of tops, trousers, underwear and socks, thanks to £10,000 in funding from the hospital’s charity wing.
is needed now More than ever
“If you get out of bed you are most likely to return to normal levels of activity and get home quicker,” explains head of nursing Luisa Goddard.
“We have around 80 admissions a day, and many of those patients come in as emergency admissions in their night clothes and do not have relatives to bring clothes in for them.
“The clothing bank will ensure they have day clothes to get out of bed in and will also ensure that when they are discharged they are going home in proper clothing and not their slippers and nightwear.”
The hospital says that getting patients out of bed and moving each day has been shown to reduce falls, improve recovery and reduce the length of stay by up to one and a half days.
The clothing bank is for brand new items only (not second-hand due to infection control) and the hospital and charity are working with clothing suppliers to provide stock.
Staff across the hospital are able to access the clothing bank to source clothes for their patients.
Read more: A video message of thanks from North Bristol NHS Trust staff
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