Leagues help reduce the hospital stress for relatives

That is why Conquest staff made a plea to the leagues of friends of the Conquest and Bexhill Hospitals for help.

The two small rooms set aside for relatives at the Conquest's Intensive Therapy Unit were ill-equipped, shabby and under threat.

The leagues responded with gifts which have enabled both rooms to be transformed. The rooms have been refurnished and redecorated.

A pull-out bed in one room offers sanctuary for anxious relatives waiting overnight to find how their loved ones are faring.

The other doubles both as a rest area and a private corner where consultants can discuss their future course of action with a patient's relatives.

Sometimes they have to break bad news. But at least now this can be done in comfortable, tastefully-decorated surroundings, as grateful staff explained to representatives of the League of Friends of Bexhill Hospital at a photo-call on Tuesday.

With his guests seated in one of the tastefully-decorated rooms, director of Intensive Therapy Nick McNeillis said: "We are very grateful to the League of Friends and to the population of Bexhill for all the support they give us.

"This has enabled us to purchase essential equipment. But it has also enabled us to re-furnish and re-decorate these rooms.

"If it had not been for your support we would have been really struggling..

"Thank you very much. We are very grateful."

The unit, he said, had been at risk of losing the relatives' rooms, which were needed for office space.

His words echoed those of critical care matron Pauline Simes who said the sitting area and overnight room were greatly appreciated by the relatives of patients.

The photo-call was also attended by risk management coordinator Tim Leakey, nurse educator Fiona Stedman, charge nurse Simon Speed and Rosie Lee who was ward clerk.