Winter warm packs help those in need post-hospital discharge | News

Captured above (left to right): Sarah-Louise Caldwell, MY Hospitals Charity Community Fundraising Officer, Rebecca Westwood , Discharge Manager at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and Bipin Raj, Quality Manager at West Yorkshire ICB - Wakefield Place.

Recognising the difficulties faced by patients due to cold weather, limited resources, or personal circumstances, the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has reintroduced its winter discharge packs funded by the Mid Yorkshire Hospital Charity.

The packs are designed to ensure a smoother transition from hospital care to home or alternative care settings by providing patients with the resources they need. This includes nutritional food, to sustain patients during the initial days after discharge and warm clothing and blankets to combat cold weather and provide critical comfort and support for recovery. 

The initiative is to support patients, often elderly, homeless, or requiring additional assistance as determined by health and social care teams at the trust. The packs are provided to patients who have long term health conditions and have been an inpatient or a patient in the emergency departments during the winter period. 

Further criteria include those who have low income or no financial income, have no heating in the property, and have no relatives, or no relatives with in a 2-mile radius to support with shopping. 

Lyndsey Scaife, Head of Integrated Discharge at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, said:

We created the winter warm discharge packs to address the unique challenges our most vulnerable patients may face when leaving hospital during the colder months. By including essentials like warm clothing, blankets, and nutritional food, we aim to provide not just practical support but also reassurance for patients and their families during this critical transition.

Funded by MY Hospitals Charity at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, packs are available across all areas within Pinderfields, Pontefract, and Dewsbury and District hospitals.

Keith Ramsay, Trust Chair and Chairman of MY Hospitals Charity, expressed:

It has been wonderful to see these care packs come to fruition and to contribute to supporting our patients in this way. We hope these packs will provide valuable assistance during their recovery, alleviating unnecessary concerns so they can focus on their health and wellbeing.

Learning about the care packages launch in 2023, NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) added to the stock this year, with generous donations being made by the Quality and Safeguarding team. 

Laura Elliot, Senior Head of Quality at NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) said:

The Wakefield Place Quality and Safeguarding Team has wholeheartedly embraced the spirit of giving this season by donating and purchasing tinned goods and other essential items to support those in need. We are proud to contribute to this fantastic initiative introduced by the trust and hope our donations provide warmth and comfort to those receiving the packs during these colder months.