Patient in Royal London Hospital. Any way to buy a newspaper, snacks, etc?

[NonBinaryBlanket]

Hello, I have a very dear friend in RLH. She is in a single room with no TV and is feeling rather low. Is there any way that I can buy her a newspaper and snacks and have them delivered to her room, does anybody know?

Thank you.

Having a single room is surely a bonus?

@CatMumSlave she can still be bored out of her mind whether she's in a single room or busy ward 🙄
@NonBinaryBlanket You might be able to do something like a supermarket order that delivers via just eat or uber or similar and give the address as the ward she is on. They might have to hand it over at the ward door rather than coming in.
Or I expect the hospital has a "Friends of" group where there a volunteers in the hospital that could get her something from the on site shop. Have a look at the hospital website - details should be on there.

In our London hospital volunteers do patient shopping at supermarkets. May be worth asking the staff so when the volunteers come onto the ward this morning they can get what they need

I don’t know that hospital, but while in a small hospital last year I got an Amazon parcel delivered to my room. I asked the reception exactly what I needed to put in the address for that to happen.

The Deliveroo / Just Eat drivers are in and out of the hospital constantly. Especially as the catering staff have been on strike recently.

The hospital Friends do the rounds with a trolley selling newspapers, magazines and snacks but that could be any time during the day. If she is in a single room she should try and make sure they don't miss her out when they come.

If she can leave the ward for 5 minutes and get downstairs there are piles of the Metro and Evening Standard in the entrance lobby (Whitechapel side), also a coffee shop.

The hospital Friends do the rounds with a trolley selling newspapers, magazines and snacks but that could be any time during the day. If she is in a single room she should try and make sure they don't miss her out when they come.

If she can leave the ward for 5 minutes and get downstairs there are piles of the Metro and Evening Standard in the entrance lobby (Whitechapel side), also a coffee shop.

@msbevvy does the RLH have Hospital Friends, do you know?

Yes there is a Friends trolley service at the RLH. Unsure of what times it runs though, dependant on volunteers on the day presumably.

The family contact centre at the hospital may be able to help 020 3594 2040

The "Friends of" don't seem to have a phone number but they have an email.
(hope your friend is better soon 💐)

Did the OP ask 'Is my friend unreasonable to want snacks/light entertainment whilst in hospital in a private room for reasons that you will never know?' or did the OP ask a completely different question about a completely different subject but you thought you'd answer the first option anyway? 🙄

Just by means of a warning, if you are sending an Amazon parcel, it can take a long time to reach the patient. I sent a gift to a friend in hospital and despite having the full address/ward/patient details it took over 10 days for them to receive it. Hopefully your friend will be out by then.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend. My husband will be in that area later this evening, if you don't manage to have anything to her by then, you can let me know and he may be ale to drop it into reception?

Some other ideas in case that may be useful:

You could have a Deliveroo order sent as there, the area has lots close by including a superstore Sainsburys which is on the Deliveroo so you will have everything you need. Would be there within 20 minuets or so.

Not sure if your friend is able to get around but there is is a kiosk selling hot and cold snacks in the Stepney Way atrium which is open 8am to 3pm Monday to Friday.
There is a patient and visitor restaurant on the fifth floor of the main building. In the restaurant there is a vending machine and water dispenser. There is two Costas on site, one located in the dental hospital on Turner Street and the other at the Whitechapel entrance to the main hospital building.

There is also a Barts Hospital Radio that provides free entertainment using this link: https://bartsradio.london/online/

Hope that helps and the offer to drop something in is there 😊

@LilacPombear sorry, I have just seen your post (I’m in Australia). That was a really sweet offer, thank you.

I will look into Deliveroo…

Not the point of the thread, but no it often is not a bonus. My DM's mental health took a huge dive when she was isolated. She had made friends on the ward. They looked out for each other, shared magazines and treats etc. They had a laugh in the dark moments. Being isolated in a room with no TV or access to the outside world is not always the boon you may think it is. My mother fought to move back to the ward and was so happy when they agreed.

I doubt they will deliver direct to the wards though. We have to collect our takeaways from main entrance.

When I ordered Deliveroo I had to go down to the main reception area that didn't deliver to the ward.