Airedale Hospital and Community Charity has funded a range of furniture and appliances for the doctors’ mess (social and rest area for junior doctors) at Airedale hospital. The charity has funded a TV, large dining table and chairs, two single beds, a water cooler, lockers, a microwave, fridge, and freezer.
This work was done as it was recognised that the space needed improving, so junior doctors could relax and recover better during their breaks and rest time. The purpose of the project was to contribute to improving Airedale’s junior doctors’ overall health and wellbeing by providing more comfortable and designated rest areas, something to help them unwind, and better access to fresh food and water.
The charity funded a television for the doctors’ mess so that doctors could unwind after shifts and during breaks.
“The TV allows better enjoyment of breaks and ability to mentally escape, enhancing recovery.”
“It’s really important to have something to help us unwind on our breaks and it provides a lot of entertainment particularly on night shifts.”
“It is a real treat to have the TV in the mess, on 12.5-hour night shifts it is really lovely to be able to sit with colleagues, chat and decompress with a little bit of TV in the background.”
It was important for the charity to provide a designated dining area for the doctors, to promote healthy eating and social interaction.
“The dining area allows greater ability to sit and talk whilst eating meals together, improves social interaction, aids relaxation and ability to recover in breaks.”
The charity provided two single beds for the doctors’ mess in order to improve rest and wellbeing. This has been especially important for people working night shifts.
“The beds allow for proper rest breaks.”
“It’s a good place to rest, especially at night.”
Airedale Hospital and Community Charity has funded water coolers for various wards and departments at Airedale, including the doctors’ mess. It provides cool drinking water and encourages people to stay hydrated. Junior doctors often spend long periods of time on warm wards in the summer, so it was important to provide this facility so they can access fresh water when back at their base.
“Especially given the recent heatwave the water cooler has been essential and is by far the most important item in the mess!”
“The water cooler is an AMAZING ADDITION. A break in the mess is often the only time I can have a drink. I’m not a coffee or tea drinker so having fresh cold water is an absolute godsend.”
Junior doctors rotate between departments and aren’t always based in the same place. By providing designated lockers in the doctors’ mess, people can store their valuables securely while they’re working.
“The lockers have been really useful. Often, we don’t have access to the ward lockers and so have nowhere secure to leave our belongings. It makes an enormous difference to feel that we have a place to base ourselves where our belongings are safe.”
“The lockers are great – it is amazing to have somewhere to put belongings and have peace of mind that they’ll be safe.”
Feedback from junior doctors has told us that many of the doctors use the microwave a few times a week, if not every day, and find it very useful.
“It’s lovely to have a hot meal for lunch.”
The charity also funded an additional fridge and freezer for the mess, so people have enough space to store their meals and drinks. The freezer has been particularly appreciated by people this summer, with the heatwaves we’ve had.
“The freezer has been ideal for ice lollies in the current heat wave.”
We’re really proud to support Airedale’s junior doctors and are grateful to have received lots of great feedback from current doctors about the improvements we made to the doctors’ mess.
“I genuinely love the Airedale mess and how it’s currently furnished – it’s a great place to relax and is essential in improving morale.”
“I really appreciate all the extra furniture bits in the mess. They make difficult days that bit better. I think the mess is so important, it is a great place for us to get together and socialise, being rotational trainees, it can be quite lonely.”
