We know this is an especially difficult and worrying time for those who have a relative or friend in hospital. We know how important it is to keep in touch with loved ones and that being unable to visit them can make the stress and worry hard to bare.
The NHS Trust has therefore set up a scheme to ease this worry and help families and friends stay in contact with the ones they love.
Family and friends can send a letter to a loved one via a dedicated email address bht.lettertoalovedone@nhs.net.
Anyone wishing to use this service should send their message in an email or as a Word attachment. One digital photograph can be included within the email which will be printed in colour. The Trust will print out each letter, pop it into an envelope and deliver it to the patient to whom it is addressed to keep and re-read as they wish.
Those using the scheme are asked to include their loved one’s full name, date of birth, postcode, and NHS number (if this is known). The Trust cannot enter into a discussion about a patient’s health or ongoing treatment via this email address.
Letters received before 10am from Monday to Friday, will be delivered on the day. Those received after 10am will be delivered next day. Letters received over the weekend will be delivered on the following Monday.
All letters will be treated as confidential. If a patient is unable to open or read a letter we will ask their permission before opening or reading letters out to them.