Cost-of-living crisis: Hospital to offer food parcels for NHS staff

University Hospital of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust runs the Royal Derby Hospital

A hospital is to start a food parcel distribution service to help NHS staff struggling with the cost of living.

The service was initiated by staff and will be run by volunteers.

Vicky Longbone, who is supporting the project at Royal Derby Hospital, said it was "disgraceful" NHS staff were having to seek help to feed themselves.

University Hospital of Derby and Burton (UHDB) NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said its staff were working in partnership with charities.

'Going hungry'

The community project Derby A2C, which runs a foodbank, is among those supporting the NHS staff.

Ms Longbone - who heads up Derby A2C - said: "I think it's absolutely disgraceful that we were two years ago standing on our doorsteps clapping for these people and now they're going hungry.

"It's disgraceful how little they get paid in the first place."

Derby Food 4 Thought Alliance, a food poverty charity, will also offer follow-up advice and support to those who request parcels.

The parcels contain a number of staple food items, such as cereal, milk, some fresh foods, tins of beans and meat and packets of pasta.

The service said it would provide enough food to last for three days.

Other cost of living measures have also been put in place in Derbyshire to support NHS staff.

Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust has extended a patient referral scheme with Citizens Advice to staff, who can be awarded up to £500 in a cost of living grant if assessed as being in need.

A UHDB spokesperson said: "We are a people-first organisation and we have put a number of initiatives in place to help make our trust a positive and supportive place to work.

"We also have a group of staff who are working in partnership with some local charities to facilitate easy access to food parcels that can be collected at work, for anyone who might benefit from extra help."