Charley and India - stickers for children.jpg

Gifts for brave young patients having to attend hospital

Posted on: 9th May 2022

Staff members at Johnson Community Hospital in Spalding are giving brave young patients, who need to come into the hospital for blood appointments, personalised stickers, sweets, and fluffy bugs to try and help ease their stress.

Danielle Hotlon, Clinical Team lead at Johnson Community Hospital said: “Many of our patients can be quite nervous about attending appointments to have their bloods taken, especially the younger patients that we do look after. This idea is to help them feel more comfortable, more at ease and they also get a little goodie for being brave.”

Danielle continued, “If any child is worried about attending an appointment, I would advise you to talk to them about their appointment and explain why they need to have their bloods taken, in simple terms that they will understand. It is always best to be honest and answer their questions.

“For very nervous children, we can arrange a meet and greet with the nurse before their appointment. We can show them equipment that we use and explain what will happen on the day. We would also make sure the child sees the same nurse to help minimise any anxieties”.

These small goodies for the young patients in Spalding have been funded thanks to the Lincolnshire NHS Charity. The charity is an independent and dedicated charity that plays a vital role in supporting both Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust to make a difference to our patients.

The charity supports innovative projects to enhance services and facilities that would otherwise not be funded by the NHS. If you would like to help fundraise for your local NHS services or find out more about the Lincolnshire NHS Charity, please visit the charity’s website.