MetroNaps Sleep Pods Available to Chelsea and Westminster Medical Staff
Installed within new wellbeing hubs provided by COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund
Medical staff working long hours at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital have been able to recharge their batteries by resting in high tech MetroNaps sleep pods - thanks to the generous response from local businesses and residents to the hospital's COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund.
The COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund is designed not only to increase intensive care bed capacity but also to provide crucial support for frontline staff and the NHS Trust says that it has been able to create two new dedicated Staff Health and Wellbeing Hubs at both Chelsea and Westminster and West Middlesex hospital sites, open to staff 24 hours a day.
Within these hubs, are semi-private sleep pods from Metronaps, pictured above,which enable staff to nap for 20 minutes or longer, falling asleep to specially composed music, ensuring they are well rested before or after a shift.
At Chelsea and Westminster, the Trust has created an additional rest area in the new Sky Garden space, adjacent to the Intensive Care Unit at Chelsea and Westminster, which features bespoke artwork from musician and artist Brian Eno.
These spaces provide a welcoming environment for staff to relax, reflect and refuel before, after and during shifts, with free tea, coffee, refreshments and toiletries available around the clock. They are also able to charge their phones at a number of free charging points.
There are also yoga and exercise areas as well as mindfulness activities to help relax staff after long shifts in the clinical environment.
The Trust adds that as many staff are now having to isolate away from home, it has also made up and distributed care packages including spare clothes, toiletries such as hand cream as well as food, drink and groceries, to ensure staff have everything they need if they cannot get home.
Every single member of staff across the Trust is working extremely hard during this time and we are so incredibly proud of the tenacity and dedication that we are seeing from them every single day.
The Trust says on the hospital's website: "In the last few weeks we’ve been overwhelmed by the outpouring of goodwill messages, donations and support we’ve received from all corners of the London community.
"From lovely rainbow coloured cards to beautiful handwritten notes to staff with encouraging words, we’ve also received an incredible response to our charity CW+’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund.
"The fund has been set up to help our staff provide the best possible care during the COVID-19 outbreak across our communities. The new fund is supporting our hospitals in three key areas:
• New equipment
• New technology
• Support for frontline staff
"We are very proud of all of our staff, both frontline and those who are behind-the-scenes for supporting, doing their best and caring for the community. The response locally has highlighted the tremendous generosity and kindness of the people in our surrounding communities.
"So a big thank you from us—please continue to Stay Home, Save Lives and Protect the NHS."
Chelsea and Westminster has also thanked a huge number of local companies and businesses have offered support to staff by donating free meals, food, drinks, toiletries and much more.
They include Chelsea FC who offered up accommodation for staff members at the Millennium Hotel at Stamford Bridge, British Airways who have supplied toiletries, including hand-moisturiser, eye masks and blankets, as well as the Co-op Kings Road store and TK Maxx. Calls for clothing and underwear have been answered by Topshop and Topman and gifts for the staff hae incuded brownies from The Brownie Box London; tea from Teapigs; sweet treats from Fit Chews UK; food parcels from Harrods Food; marshmallow bars from Mallow and Marsh; loaves of bread from GAIL’s Bakery; pasta from Bayley and Sage; snacks from Pret a Manger, Wholefoods Fulham and Waitrose Fulham; food parcels from Annabel’s Mayfair; flowers from Bloomin’ Marvellous and magazines from Haymarket Publishing.
Chris Chaney, Chief Executive of Chelsea and Westminster's charity CW+ said: "The response from the community has been phenomenal. Staff at both hospitals have been incredibly touched by the kindness of donors and of local companies willing to provide for them during this challenging time.
"We want to thank everyone who has contributed to the COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund so far – your generosity will ensure staff have the support and provisions that they require and deserve."
You can find out more about the COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund and make a donation here.
April 17, 2020