Hard working DRI A&E staff thanked with coffee and cake treats
Workers were thanked as part of National Appreciation Week by the Rapid Relief Team
A&E staff at Doncaster Royal Infirmary have had their hard work recognised with a morale-boosting event thanking them for their efforts as they prepare for a busy winter.
Charity the Rapid Relief Team (RRT) has held its second A&E Appreciation Week at hospitals and clinics across the country with over 400 volunteers running more than 130 coffee and cake events at departments across the UK to give more than 10,000 A&E staff a well-deserved break and a boost to their wellbeing.
The RRT organised the event following its new survey of 2,063 UK adults about their thoughts on the UK’s A&E service.
It found 61 per cent of those in Yorkshire and the Humber would think twice about going to A&E this winter because of the pressure the NHS is under.
Meanwhile, 75 per cent of those surveyed from Yorkshire and the Humber agreed that A&E staff do not receive enough recognition for the work they do, with 67 per cent of respondents also backing that staff should be able to refuse to treat patients who are abusive.
RRT held an event at DRI with volunteers serving refreshments to around 120 workers, giving teams the opportunity to pause, connect with colleagues, and feel appreciated for their vital work on the frontline.
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Rod Paterson, RRT local team leader, said: “Considering how hard A&E staff work across Doncaster and the rest of the country, we don't think they always get the recognition and thanks they deserve.
“A&E Appreciation Week was designed to change this. It was amazing to meet staff at Doncaster Royal and see first-hand how much they enjoyed a small gesture of a slice of cake and a cup of coffee."
A&E Appreciation Week was set up by the RRT last year to give the public a chance to thank emergency department teams, whose work often happens out of sight and goes unrecognised.
The charity, which is made up of volunteers from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, is calling for the week to be formally designated as an annual national event, with two-thirds of respondents in the recent survey saying they would support an official national week to recognise A&E staff.
The research suggests A&E staff feel less appreciated than they did a few years ago, with 77 per cent of people believing the public showed more appreciation for NHS staff during the pandemic than it does today.