Patients and visitors at Benenden Hospital could have been forgiven for doing a double take on Friday when doctors and nurses arrived dressed as pirates.
But it was all in a good cause – staff from the children’s ward were wearing fancy dress to raise money for BBC Children in Need. And to make the day even more special, Pudsey arrived to meet the children on the ward.
“We always have great fun on Children in Need day and I think the children thought it very amusing to be treated by ‘pirates’,” said paediatric modern matron Eleanor Jeans. “All our staff try to make the children as relaxed as possible when they are on the ward and our play leaders Nikki Henry and Rosa Morris made the whole day pirate-themed, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.”
In the evening ten members of staff attended the live television coverage of Children in Need at Drusillas Park in Alfriston and a total of Ј500 was raised by the hospital’s staff and patients for the charity.
Award-winning Benenden Hospital is an independent hospital providing high quality diagnostic, surgical and medical services. Its services are for everyone - whether members of the Benenden Healthcare Society which owns the hospital, NHS patients referred through the NHS Patient Choice programme or private patients.
The hospital is infection-free and recently scooped six out of 12 of the Healthcare 100 Awards for best employer accolades.
ENDS
PICTURE: Pudsey meets young patient Nyall Booker on the children’s ward
For more information please contact:
Lawrence Christensen, Head of Communications Benenden Healthcare Society 0845 052 5787 lawrence.christensen@benenden.org.uk
or
Alison Hardy/ Georgette McCready, Maxim, on 01892 513033 / Alison@maxim-pr.co.uk georgette@maxim-pr.co.uk
Notes for editors
Benenden Healthcare Society
Benenden Healthcare is a mutual 'not for profit' Friendly Society, run for members. As a mutual organisation, not a medical insurer, members club together so that they can get the first class medical help they need, when they need it most.
Benenden Healthcare is one of the UK’s longest serving and most respected mutual healthcare societies. The Society has a membership of over 940,000 and is currently open to all public sector workers and their families as well as employees of organisations whose aims and objectives are compatible with the Society.
Benenden Hospital
Benenden Hospital was founded in 1907 and became the centre for hospital treatment for members of Trade Unions and Friendly Societies and subsequently large numbers of public sector employees who joined what is now the Benenden Healthcare Society. The Society has a membership of over 940,000.
In recent years the hospital has increasingly been able to provide services for patients who are not members of the Benenden Healthcare Society. Local National Health Services are increasing their use of the Hospital’s facilities as are patients who wish to use private medical insurance or who wish to pay directly for their own hospital care.
The hospital places great emphasis on quality providing comfortable, clean and hygienic accommodation and a range of clinical services which are tailored to meet the needs of individual patients. The hospital has a Matron – a senior and experienced professional – who has the authority to resolve problems and to make sure the 'patient pathway' is both effective and patient friendly. The hospital recently scooped six out of 12 of the Healthcare 100 Awards for best employer accolades.