Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to be working with the Tesco Superstore in Aylesbury to bring benefit to inpatients on our wards at the Tindal Centre and at the John Hampden Unit. 

Helen Waddon, Community Champion for the store was contacted by the Trust’s Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) to explore the possibility of Tesco’s working with the Trust on a new initiative called “The PALS Exchange”.  Helen told us that the Tesco store wanted to support mental health services, as they are an integral part of the community and the store wants to help to raise awareness of mental illness and to remove the stigma which can sometimes be associated with this.  Helen will work with the Trust on fundraisers, awareness days in store and will provide donations to the wards. 

Since this initiative launched in January 2012, along with nine bags of toiletries and DVDs that have been shared across our five inpatient wards Tesco has donated £200. This will be used by the wards over the next couple of months and patients will be able to have a say in what they would like to spend the money on.

Natalie Cleveland, Ward Manager, was delighted to receive the toiletries and DVDs and on behalf of the patients said “We are really pleased with the donations made by Tesco.  The patients on the ward feel that it is a really good initiative.  It is amazing that such a large organisation such as Tesco is working with the Trust to improve the patient experience and we would like to thank them for choosing us as one of their organisations to champion”.

Representatives from the Trust will be in the store on 23 May 2012 to promote the Trust as part of Mental Health Awareness Week and highlight the PALS Service and how it works with patients and their friends and families to ensure that our services are meeting the needs of those that use them.