Member Article

Pattonair answers plea to replace stolen televisions at Royal Derby Hospital

Leading Derby-based firm Pattonair has come to the rescue of hospital patients by stepping in to replace three stolen TVs.

The TV sets were taken from wards at the Royal Derby Hospital, part of the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS foundation Trust, last August.

Pattonair learned of the situation through an employee, and quickly set about resolving the issue through its ‘DIY SOS’ programme dedicated to supporting local businesses and charities.

It donated £1,500 to the Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity to pay for the TVs, which were handed over in a special ceremony at the hospital.

They will be a vital tool in aiding the wellbeing of patients undergoing treatment on the three wards, said staff.

“Having a TV in a room gives it a homely feel and it really helps patients escape,” said registered nurse Laura Bramley, who works on a ward caring for dementia patients. “Sometimes patients can feel anxious or miss home, so this can have a calming effect and help them to socialise.”

The TVs, which can be moved around bays for all patients to watch, were gratefully received by patients, including Deena, a patient at the hospital said: “The best thing is that I’ll be able to watch Corrie now!”

Pattonair, the global supply chain leader which has its headquarters at Pride Park, helped various enterprising initiatives across Derbyshire last year, demonstrating its commitment to the community through local sports partnerships and charity endeavours.

Its year was capped-off in style with a successful ball at Derby’s Roundhouse venue, raising over £57,000 for Dementia UK.

“Dementia UK has long been close to our hearts,” said Denise Johnson, the company’s head of marketing at Pattonair.

“After hearing about the importance of the TVs at the hospital, specifically to dementia patients and their families, we thought it would be a great fit and continuation of our work for the charity.”

Over Christmas, the company visited the wards and witnessed first-hand the fantastic work undertaken at Burton Hospital.

This led to the business deciding to donate £250-worth of Amazon vouchers, allowing staff to purchase exactly what was needed for patients.

Marie Gretton, communications officer for Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity, said it was very grateful for the donations.

“We know that it will make a huge difference to our patients’ welfare,” she said. “We look forward to working with Pattonair in 2020 and continue to improve the patient experience across our hospitals.”

The hospital trust previously said about the stolen TVs: “We take a zero-tolerance approach to theft and treat all such offences with the utmost severity. We are continuing to work closely with Derbyshire police to assist with their investigations.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Katie Ford .