County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust’s charity has funded sensory toys for the eye department at Bishop Auckland Hospital.
The Ophthalmology Outpatient Department helps children with sensory needs and has been looking at improving the experience for the younger patients when they visit.
Dawn Nosair, Clinical Nurse Specialist in the department, said: “We know coming into hospital can be a daunting experience especially for some of our younger patients. So, we wanted to make sure that while they are attending their appointments we provide the best experience possible and try to put them at ease as much as we can. I have some personal experience, as my son has autism with sensory needs and I know how much he likes his fidget toys. So I started to think about what we could add to the department to help improve the visit for our young patients and thought some specialist toys would be a great addition to help keep them busy and occupied during their visit.”
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust’s Charity, CDDFT Charity, works to enhance and support patient care and experience across the Trust’s hospitals and community services. The eye department was able to apply to the Charity for the funding to buy the new toys which include a Montessori pyramid which helps support education and development.
Pat Chambers, Charity Manager for the Trust, said: “Children and young people’s services are delivered throughout the Trust and we have been delighted that, through charitable giving, we have been able to help transform the patient experience in Bishop Auckland Hospital. This is a wonderful example of how the generous and kind support and donations from our local communities can make such a real difference to the experience of our patients.”
Dawn added: “The toys have been an instant hit with the children and it is lovely to see them play very happily with the sensory toys during their visit.
“All the toys are wipe clean which means they are easy to look after. We are extremely grateful to the Trust’s Charity for their support. They have been a wonderful addition to the department.”
The CDDFT Charity is running a Toy Appeal. There are a number of donation stations across County Durham and Darlington. These include Ward 9, Bishop Auckland Hospital. You can find out more by contacting the Charity Team: 01325 74 3781 or cddft.charity@nhs.net.

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