Fun fabric masks are being offered to young people who need to go for appointments at Airedale General Hospital.
They've been made by a care worker at the hospital to help children feel less anxious about their visit.
Strict safety protocols are in place for patients and staff to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Non-essential face to face appointments had been postponed or carried out virtually, but some children are required to attend in person for blood tests or to have a medical review by doctors.
Mary Nightingale, Children’s Outpatients and Outreach Manager at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust says: “We know that it might feel different coming into the hospital environment at the moment and we want our youngest patients to feel happy and safe. We’re only able to allow one family at a time so we can maintain social distancing and follow guidelines, and then when they come into the clinic and see all the staff with masks on and their parents with masks on, it all looks very different to them. If we can let them choose a fun mask instead of a surgical one, then we hope it makes them happier about their visit.”
The colourful designs which include dinosaurs and unicorns are made by Healthcare Support Assistant, Sharon Cole, who had already been making adult masks for friends and family and when she saw how children felt coming into clinic, decided to use the money to make the children’s masks and so they get to keep them.
8 year old Filip Oleszczur from Keighley (pictured above with his mum and Sharon Cole) chose his mask last week when he arrived for his appointment.
“Filip was really anxious when he arrived to have a blood test," added Mary. "He was wearing a surgical mask when he came and chose this spotty one from a choice of masks that Sharon has made…he and his mum said it was much better than the surgical one and he liked the spots! He was very impressed with staff nurse Katie Hunter too who took his blood test as it didn’t hurt!”
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