Rainbow Room supports wellbeing of Shropshire hospital staff during Covid-19 crisis
Shropshire’s specialist orthopaedic hospital has created a designated, safe space where staff can go to take a much-needed break, away from the pressure of working through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The room – dubbed the Rainbow Room – at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, near Oswestry, is a dedicated wellbeing space which all staff can access any time, day or night.
The idea came from Dr Sophie Shapter, consultant anaesthetist, after seeing a similar initiative at other trusts across the country.
With staff at the hospital facing unprecedented challenges, the new room is already proving popular with staff who need to take time away from their working environment.
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Sophie said: “We’re all going through a really tough time at the moment and different people have differing coping mechanisms.
“Some people like to talk to others, some would need to have a little cry, and others would just want to sit in silence to reflect, and that’s what the Rainbow Room is here for, and the feedback we’ve had so far has been overwhelmingly positive.”
The League of Friends have supported the initiative by funding soft furnishings, refreshments, music, wellbeing apps and a range of mindfulness resources.
The Rainbow Room can be found in the occupational therapy flat – a space which is usually used to support patient rehabilitation by allowing them to carry out day-to-day activities and help regain their skills and confidence.
Sophie added: “I also have to say a huge thanks to a number of teams across the hospital for supporting this – our fantastic League of Friends, the people services department, our estates and facilities team and also the therapies department who are allowing us to use the occupational therapy flat.”
Stacey Keegan, acting chief executive, said: “Our staff are facing immense pressures and huge challenges during this time and we are working hard to ensure we support both their physical and mental wellbeing.
"We recognise that our staff are facing unprecedented demands and we will continue to do all we can to ensure they have the support they need."
