In April this year, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) launched #endpjparalysis, as part of a national initiative, at both Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals.

It’s well known that staying in bed can sometimes do more harm than good, even when someone isn’t feeling 100% – #endpjparalysis aims to get patients up, dressed and moving while they are in hospital so the problems caused by staying in bed too long can be prevented and, hopefully, they can get home quicker.

Since the start of the campaign on 17 April, 984 patients across the Trust have got up and dressed during their stay in hospital, and 1255 have also been up and moving around.

Practice Development Nurse, Nikki Lewis, has been helping to lead the campaign at MTW. She said: “We’ve had a really positive start to the initiative and we don’t want to lose momentum. From 23 July, we are going to be inviting staff to wear their pyjamas to work to help continue promoting #endpjparalysis. We want to get as many patients involved as we can as, so far, it seems to be making a real difference to how they’re feeling while they’re staying in hospital.”

Feedback from patients has also been very positive. 72 year old Peter, who stayed on the Edith Cavell Ward at Maidstone Hospital, said: “It’s so much nicer to get out of bed and get dressed, it aids the process of getting better. I am the first person in the bay to get up in the morning and I am eager to get going as I know it will get me back home quicker! I like to get dressed as not only is it more comfortable to wear my own clothes, it means that I look and feel better when I go to physio or see visitors and so on; it makes me feel human.”

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