Nintendo Switch devices donated to children at Royal Preston Hospital

Martha Kidd (11) of Eccleston, enjoying some screen time while on the Children's Ward at the Royal Preston Hospital, playing a game donated by Get Well Gamers UK — Martha Kidd (11) of Eccleston, enjoying some screen time while on the Children’s Ward at the Royal Preston Hospital, playing a game donated by Get Well Gamers UK

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity has received a donation of game cartridges for Nintendo Switch devices and other consoles.

The cartridges, worth approximately £150, were gifted to the trust charity’s Children’s Appeal by Get Well Gamers UK, a national organisation that provides donated games and consoles to hospitals, hospices and other healthcare settings throughout the country.

This is so young patients across Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s children services can
now immerse themselves in some screen time while on a ward or waiting for an appointment to have a positive experience overall.

Trust fundraising manager, Roya Armstrong, said: “There is a lot of documented evidence to show that gaming can help reduce boredom, anxiety and sadness in children in hospital.

“It has even been proven an effective pain management tool with young patients able to loose themselves in a screen world.

“We are very grateful to Get Well Gamers UK for their fantastic donation, which has been an
immediate hit with our young patients.”

The hospital charity team is working on raising £1 million through its Children’s Appeal for a shopping list of items to improve patient and family experience across children’s services at the Royal Preston Hospital, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, Leyland’s Broadoaks Child Development Centre, where it wants to build a new outdoor play park assessment area, and other centres.

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