AS our incredible NHS staff at Musgrove Park Hospital once again work around the clock to save lives, the hospital's official charity has re-opened its Covid-19 Response Fund.

Cash raised by the Love Musgrove initiative will go to support staff there working around the clock to save lives.

A Love Musgrove spokesperson said: "Musgrove is now caring for more patients than it was at the peak of the pandemic last year.

"This is truly unprecedented. It has been called the worst situation the NHS has faced in living memory.

"We are at such a significant point with combatting Covid-19 and we need your support again to help keep colleagues going, and able to provide the best possible care to our patients.

"In addition to improving patient experience, the physical and mental wellbeing of staff is one of the most important things we support as a charity.

"We must do everything we can to ensure our NHS colleagues are safe, healthy and well."

Here's how your donations have helped so far:

Dedicated funding to launch a Colleague Wellbeing Phone Line, including dedicated support for our BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) staff;

Bought 150 digital radios for isolated patients to give them a voice in the room;

Supplied more than 15,000 meals for staff, giving them one less to think about during a busy shift;

Sourced more than 40 iPads to help isolated patients communicate with their loved ones;

Made funding available for hospital activity coordinators, the chaplaincy and the bereavement teams so they have all the resources they need, and have been able to supply newspapers, activity packs and toiletries to patients who needed them;

Given a grant to the hospital's research team in support of the national SIREN Research Study, helping scientists to better understand Covid-19;

Paired with donations of toiletries, food and other items, the charity has created thank you and travel packs for staff when they need support.

The spokesperon added: "We now have the chance to do so much more, and all we need is your help."

You can donate to the Covid-19 Response Fund in the following ways:

Donate via www.lovemusgrove.org.uk/donate/;

Text MUSGROVE followed by your donation amount (between £1 and £20) to 70085;

Send a cheque payable to ‘Love Musgrove Covid-19’ to Fundraising Office, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 5DA.