Parents meal voucher scheme launch
Date of release: 26 July 2024
Meal vouchers will be available for parents of children staying overnight at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton thanks to a pilot programme funded by Sophie’s Legacy.
Sophie Fairall
Sophie's Legacy was formed following the death of a ten-year-old, Sophie Fairall, who was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer back in 2020.
The pilot project is a collaborative effort between Sophie’s Legacy and NHS England and aims to address the critical issue of providing meals to parents staying in hospitals with their children.
The Trust will receive £5,000 from the £75,000 funding provided by Sophie’s Legacy.
Kirsty Lewis, Senior Matron for Acute Children’s Services at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), said: “Feeding parents of children in hospitals was a top priority for Sophie so we are glad that we can offer this pilot scheme at RWT and carry on her legacy.
“It is really important parents stay hydrated and fuelled so they can help participate in their child’s care and engage more effectively with medical professionals, leading to better decision-making about treatment options and plans.
“Ultimately, this translates into better outcomes for the child and enhances parents' sense of control during a challenging time.”
Over the past six months, Sophie’s Legacy has worked alongside NHS England to expand the project throughout England.
The project will run for up to twelve weeks and hospitals involved are free to consider the most appropriate method of implementation for them, which could include choosing meals from the hospital menu, offering ready-made meals, or providing vouchers for the hospital restaurant.
They are required to demonstrate how they will continue to feed parents beyond the pilot project, and evaluation of the impact of the projects will potentially enable them to provide an evidence-based argument for future funding.
Charlotte Fairall, CEO of Sophie’s Legacy, said: “I am pleased we have managed to get this project launched. The impact this will have on thousands of families across the 15 hospitals will be huge. No parent should have to go hungry when they are in hospitals with their child, and we are doing all we can to change this.”
NHS England's Chief Nursing Officer Duncan Burton said: “We’re delighted to have worked with Sophie’s Legacy to support these trusts to provide food for parents. We know it can be an incredibly stressful time for parents and children and this is one way which can improve the experience of parents who are staying with their child in hospital. We are keen to take the learning from the trusts who have joined this programme and share this with others across the country."
ENDS
- Sophie’s Legacy is a registered charity having received such status on 16 May 2021.
- For more information about Sophie’s Legacy please visit Sophie's Legacy
