'Nobody is alone' - Meet the dedicated Leeds hospital staff determined to bring festive cheer this Christmas
They are the dedicated team determined to make sure that people have a smile on their faces in hospital wards this Christmas.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is shining a spotlight on those working during the festive season with their 12 Faces of Christmas campaign.
And today the Yorkshire Evening Post hears from just some of those caring staff who will be continuing to care for patients in Leeds hospitals.
From physio services through to chaplaincy and critical care units, it is important for teams to support those who are in hospital over Christmas to help them mark the occasion.
Jonny, a physiotherapist for the Older People’s service, said: “This year I will be working Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. My reason for working over Christmas is that it’s nice to give something back to the team.
“You can give your time and allowing them to have time with their family over the Christmas period is important to me and it’s important to them too.
“It’s nice to have someone with a smiling face on the ward who is willing to be here as Christmas is important to a lot of people.
“Part of my job is getting people moving again so people want to get home in time for Christmas and we want to get them home in time for Christmas.
“A lot of people can be deconditioned in their home environments as they’ve spent a long time in hospital and need to get back on their feet again.
“It’s important we get them home for Christmas safely and it’s important they get home to spend time with their family.”
Gaby, healthcare support worker for Paediatric Critical Care at Leeds Children’s Hospital, said: “This year I will be working Christmas Day night.
“I will be waking up in the morning with my little boy. We will have breakfast together and we will open some presents and spend the morning together until around lunchtime.
“I will then go to bed to get some sleep ready for the night shift. I will come on shift at 7.30pm and work through until 8am on Boxing Day.
“It’s important the patients know they are not on their own although they are unconscious and some patients are sedated and paralysed.
“It’s important we provide that care so they know they are not on their own and that there is always someone at the side of them.
“Just like all the other wards, Santa will come and visit and will spend time at the bedside with them on the night.
“We spend a lot of time with the parents and the families and get to know the children so that we know which presents Santa delivers are perfect for the children.
“I think what’s special about being on ,especially on paediatric critical care, is that it truly makes you value what you do have and makes you appreciate the little things that you have in life.
“Bringing everyone together a team over Christmas is vital to the unit providing a Christmas that is as normal as possible for the children.
“This is the parents’ and families’ worst times being on the unit and it’s important as a team that we bring the festive cheer and make memories with them and show them how valuable it is.”
Frin, Oncology and Palliative Care Chaplain, said: “A lot of patients I’m working with are worried about what it might mean to spend Christmas in hospital.
“Will it be really sad? Will they feel lonely? Might this be their last Christmas?
“And as I’m listening to them and supporting them to think that through I know that Christmas is often so much better in hospital than people fear it will be.
“There will be smiles, there will be joy for many people. There’ll certainly be peace and people pull together to make it the best day possible.
“As chaplain I find myself running around the hospital making sure that people who want to say prayers get the chance to say prayers.
“People who want the chance to talk about what matters to them get someone who has time to listen.
“I end up singing Christmas carols on all sorts of wards and I love that.”