The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has reintroduced its winter discharge packs, funded by the Mid Yorkshire Hospital Charity, to help those in need this winter.

The packs are designed to ensure a smoother transition from hospital care to home by providing patients with the resources they need.

This includes nutritional food, to sustain patients during the initial days after discharge, warm clothing and blankets.

The initiative is to support patients, often elderly, homeless, or requiring additional assistance as determined by health and social care teams at the Trust.

Sarah-Louise Caldwell, MY Hospitals Charity Community Fundraising Officer, Rebecca Westwood , Discharge Manager at the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and Bipin Raj, Quality Manager at West Yorkshire ICB - Wakefield Place.

placeholder image — Sarah-Louise Caldwell, MY Hospitals Charity Community Fundraising Officer, Rebecca Westwood , Discharge Manager at the Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and Bipin Raj, Quality Manager at West Yorkshire ICB - Wakefield Place.

The packs are provided to patients who have long-term health conditions and have been an inpatient or a patient in the emergency departments during the winter period.

Further criteria include those who have low income or no financial income, have no heating in the property, and have no relatives, or no relatives with in a two-mile radius to support with shopping.

Lyndsey Scaife, Head of Integrated Discharge at the Trust, said: "We created the winter warm discharge packs to address the unique challenges our most vulnerable patients may face when leaving hospital during the colder months.

"By including essentials like warm clothing, blankets, and nutritional food, we aim to provide not just practical support but also reassurance for patients and their families during this critical transition.”

Funded by MY Hospitals Charity, at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust, packs are available across the Trust’s three hospitals: Pinderfields, Pontefract, and Dewsbury and District Hospital.

Keith Ramsay, Trust Chair and Chairman of MY Hospitals Charity, said: "We hope these packs will provide valuable assistance during their recovery, alleviating unnecessary concerns so they can focus on their health and wellbeing.”