E-asy way to send greetings to patients

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has launched a free e-greeting card service to allow friends and relatives to send messages to inpatients at its four sites.

People who want to send a card can do so from the trust’s website. Once in the e-greeting cards section, they can choose a card design, pick a pre-chosen message or write a personal message.

Then, they email it to the trust’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service, which says it aims to deliver the cards within two to four days. To prevent spam, users also have to enter a captcha or distorted combination of words and letters designed to defeat spam programmes.

Kerry Coates, a PALS casework support officer, said: “It’s brilliant for people who are unable to visit their friend or relative every day and even better for patients. Receiving a card with a personal message from a loved one can really lift their spirits, and in some cases, aid recovery. In the short time we’ve been running the service it has already made a difference.”

The service is funded by the hospital drama society, Pill Pushers. So far, e-greetings cards have been delivered to patients in Peterborough District Hospital, the Edith Cavell Hospital, Stamford Hospital and the trust’s maternity unit.