John Lewis to deliver 60,000 care packages to key NHS staff

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Apr 9, 2020

John Lewis Partnership has created a wellbeing area for staff at the new Nightingale Hospital in London and will deliver 60,000 care packages to frontline NHS workers.

These are some of the group’s latest initiatives to help the fight against Covid-19, the infectious disease which has been implicated in more than 7,000 deaths in the UK.

The wellbeing area at NHS Nightingale has been specifically designed as a place of “sanctuary”, offering staff a space where they can relax from their extremely challenging environment. This will be the only area within the main part of the hospital where frontline doctors and nurses can go when they need help or time out.

Additionally, the department store retailer is working with the British Medical Association (BMA) to distribute care packages for frontline NHS workers in England, Scotland and Wales.

Nightingale London and the main London NHS Trusts will be the first to receive the care packages, which contain much-needed non-clinical essentials such as deodorant, shaving foam, hand cream, antibac hand gel and lip balm, as well as snack food, tea, coffee and socks.

The boxes will also include information about a 24/7 counselling service and guidance from the BMA on a range of issues.

The care packages will be specifically for healthcare staff working in the Critical Care and Intensive Care units at some of the UK’s busiest hospitals.

Sharon White, chairman of John Lewis Partnership, explained: “The John Lewis Partnership salutes the courage and humanity of every NHS worker fighting this awful virus. We are exceptionally lucky to have an amazing health service open to all. As a small token, we’re donating food and essential items to the NHS; we’re making it easier for NHS workers to shop in Waitrose and we’re helping staff at the new Nightingale Hospital in London. We will do more over the coming weeks.”