As the pandemic continues, our hospitals have significantly increased their critical care capacity and are seeing patient admissions like never before. This has been the most challenging wave of the pandemic, as we receive referrals from hospitals around the capital who are sending us their most desperately ill patients.

On top of this, many of our frontline staff were still feeling exhausted from the first wave and subsequent backlog from delayed routine operations.

Our staff are treating some of the most severe cases of Covid-19 and are under increasing pressure, yet as Medical Director, Professor Mark Mason said:

The ability of our expert teams to rise to whatever challenge comes their way, has once again been remarkable.

To respond to the needs of our world class hospitals and staff, the Charity is extending our Covid-19 appeal so that we continue to support the wellbeing of our exceptional staff whilst they provide the highest quality care. This appeal will also purchase life-saving equipment for those needing urgent care now, but also for patients in the future. We aim to raise £100,000 to contribute to priorities, such as:

• Staff wellbeing and sustenance packages, including drinks, hand cream, massages and treatments
• With strict limitations on visitors, an onsite Patient Experience Coordinator will deliver face to face or virtual activities to improve the experience of adult patients, particularly those who experience long and/or multiple stays. Several patients have been inpatients for over 6 months
• £1,750 will buy one of 20 humidifiers needed, which will add moisture and warmth to the air delivered to a patient via a ventilator. This will reduce dryness and improve comfort when breathing
• £7,514 will buy one handheld blood gas analyser that delivers lab-quality diagnostic results at the bedside within a few minutes
• £49,000 will buy ECMO equipment for the most critically ill patients with Covid-19. ECMO will do the work of a patient’s lungs, or both heart and lungs, until theirs can function properly again.

Thank you, your support in 2020 was overwhelming. Your donations, generosity of gifts and messages of support really did make a difference to our staff and patients. 

Click here to see what difference you made to our staff and patients.

Don’t forget our Care and Share Noticeboard, where you can let our staff know how much they are appreciated.

Our hospitals are facing new challenges on a daily basis. Gifts made to this appeal will be spent where the need is greatest at the time.