Hospital charity grants wish for outpatients department

A new dementia friendly waiting area for people coming into hospital for an outpatient appointment has been created thanks to charity,

The Health Tree Foundation (HTF), the official charity for Grimsby’s Diana Princess of Wales Hospital, has spent over £17,000 creating the relaxing new area after it received a ‘wish’ from staff working in zone four of the outpatient department.

Patients previously had to wait in chairs in the corridor before being called for their appointment. Now, a new dedicated waiting area has been created and refurbished.

It has been named the ‘waterfall waiting area’ and has new pictures on the walls of waterfalls, a dementia friendly clock, new red chairs and a new signage.

Outpatients nurse manager Linda Wigg said: “I can’t tell you how pleased I am with our new waiting area. Our patients now have privacy and dignity. So many of the patients have commented on how much better it is now and the consultants and staff like it a lot.”

Business support manager George Williams said: “Thank you so much to the Health Tree Foundation for making this wish happen. It has made such a big difference to our patients.”

Partnerships manager for the HTF Victoria Winterton said: “We are absolutely delighted with the new waiting area for our patients. To have them out of the corridor and in a space just for them is a wonderful improvement.

“We can only make changes like this because of the donations we receive from patients and the public. Without the generosity of local people this would never have been possible.

“Many of the wards at the hospital receive regular donations but our outpatients areas are almost always forgotten about, despite having hundreds of patients through the department every week.”

In addition to the zone four refurbishment the HTF has also provided new pictures for the rest of the outpatients department.

A ‘history wall’ has been created in zone one with photos from the old general hospital. Linda said: “We are really pleased with the history wall as it has proved to be a really good talking point for our patients.”

If you would like to make a donation to support the outpatients department at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital you can send a cheque to the Health Tree Foundation at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Scartho Road, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN33 2BA with ‘outpatients’ written on the back.

Donations can be made in person to the voluntary services office in the front entrance to the hospital behind the volunteers reception desk. Or you can donate online here https://www.justgiving.com/nlagcharitablefunds