More than 1,000 comfort bags have been donated to patients at Dorset County Hospital - helping to 'make a difference' to patients' lives.

The Friends of Dorset County Hospital group has been providing the free comfort bags to patients which are filled with essential toiletries.

The initiative launched in 2023 to support patients who are unexpectedly admitted to hospital continues to go from strength to strength.

This is to help provide a little extra comfort at an often stressful time, especially when a patient has been admitted to the emergency department.

The bags include items such as toothpaste, deodorant, tissues, hairbrush, shower gel, lip balm, moisturiser and sanitary products.

Since May 2023, the charity has now donated more than 1,000 of these comfort bags to patients at the Dorchester-based hospital.

Annette Kent, vice-chair of the Friends of Dorset County Hospital, said: “We initially donated 50 bags and now we have donated more than a thousand.

"The feedback we have received from patients and staff has been fantastic and we know we really are making a difference to patient experience with this initiative.”

This initiative has also now been expanded to support families in the Special Care Baby Unit, where new born and premature babies are treated.

The initiative has also been praised by people working on the hospital's frontline where they can see how important the scheme is for patients.

Sam Warren, assistant service manager in the Emergency Department, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the Friends of DCH for their ongoing support.

“We know it can be scary coming into hospital and not having any belongings with you.

"The comfort bags really are making a difference to patients and are so appreciated. Just a small act of kindness like this can make a huge difference and we get to see that firsthand.”

The Friends of Dorset County Hospital was founded in 1956 to provide comfort and help to patients and their relatives at the Dorset County Hospital.

If you would like to support the Friends of DCH, you can email friends@dchft.nhs.uk or call 01305 255896.