Hospital book trolley gathers momentum

An idea developed during the Covid pandemic for a hospital library book trolley to visit wards has proved to have wheels after winning an award.

Swansea Bay’s Library Services has thrived since its inception and was named winner in the most recent in-house One Bay Way Awards’ Arts in Health category.

Run in collaboration with the health board’s Volunteers Service, the simple yet impactful initiative has transformed hospital stays for countless patients. 

With generous support from staff, charities, and the community, the trolley has expanded to include radios, large print books, tablets, religious texts, and reminiscence boxes thanks to a generous donation from Swansea Museum.

Advice was sought from experts in infection prevention and control to ensure the safety of this initiative.

So far the service has distributed over 2,500 donated books and other items to patients across the health board to lift their spirits during  a hospital stay.  

Patients have shared how these resources have improved their wellbeing, reduced anxiety, and provided much-needed companionship.

Liz Wonnacott, Head of Service for the health board’s Medical Directorate, nominated the team for the award.

She said: “The library service, based across the three acute hospital sites and Cefn Coed Hospital, works really hard to think of new and innovative ways to support health and wellbeing, not just for staff, but patients as well. 

“The book trolley is a great example of this and I am delighted to see the initiative has been recognised with a One Bay Way Award.

“The feedback the library team and volunteers have received from staff and patients has been overwhelmingly positive and often our volunteers are able to have great conversations with patients during their rounds with the trolley. For some, this could be the closest they come to having visitors. 

“A survey of patients has shown that the initiative made their stay better and made time pass quicker. It also helps keeps patients mentally active and occupied.” 

The book trolley also helps prevent patients deconditioning whilst in hospital.

It is felt that the project keeps patients mentally active and occupied and additional work could be done to see how far the project helps in preventing falls and patient agitation.

Liz said: “The book trolley has also helped promote awareness of the library service with staff members who may not necessarily have been aware of it and the support available for staff.”

Librarian Rhys Whelan welcomed the award.

He said: “We’re extremely pleased to have been recognised with this award. 

“The service would not be possible were it not for close collaboration with the volunteers service and library staff going above and beyond every day to keep the trolley fully stocked. We’re grateful to everyone who has donated books to the trolley.”

Katie Taylor, volunteer service manager, said: “Volunteers really enjoy supporting the library service with the trolley visiting the wards. It is a really valuable service, the book trolley provides an opportunity for starting conversations with patients, which can be really important for those who don’t have many visitors or are in for longer periods of time. 

“I’m really pleased that the book trolley service received an award to highlight how valuable the service is and recognise the wonderful things that volunteers do.”

Sharon Winters, a volunteer, said: “This is something I really wanted to do and I enjoy it every time I come in. 

“Every time I go away, I have stories about people who have spoken with me and the books they have taken – just the other week a lady looked at the trolley and said, ‘I’ve always wanted to read that’ and she took the book. That’s a good feeling.”

Sharon (pictured left) agreed the social interaction was also valuable.

She said: “It’s about interacting with patients - a means to talk to people, really. 

“It gives them something else to think about, to look at during a day probably filled with people prodding you and taking your temperature.”

And Sharon believes the patients appreciate the efforts of all involved.

She said: “I think the patients appreciate the service. We never get any negative feedback, it’s always positive.”

One patient, Hilda Mears (pictured with Sharon Winters), was full of praise for the service.

She said: “A service like this is remarkable. When you get taken to hospital people don’t always think to take books with them to read.

“It’s remarkable because books take you out of yourself. They take you to another world, and they make you feel much better. 

“I’ve always been an avid reader. 

“You read a nice book, and no matter how low you are feeling, you feel lovely.”

The annual One Bay Way Staff Awards recognise the many fantastic projects, ideas, leadership developments and improvements to patient care happening across Swansea Bay University Health Board over the previous 12 months.

Main picture: Rhys Whelan (Librarian), Sharon Winters (Volunteer), Rebecca Probert (Library Assistant) and Angela Higgins (Library Assistant).