Blue postcard titled ‘In this together’ with a graphic of a heart, on the reverse there are details of places staff can go for support if they are feeling stressed or anxious, sent to Royal Trinity Hospice staff with chocolate on Valentine’s Day 2021

Hospices were hit particularly hard by COVID-19 and staff were working in difficult and unprecedented circumstances. Particularly at the start of the pandemic, personal protective equipment (PPE) was in short supply and as were many important medications. For many staff, PPE, while essential, additionally made it harder for them to connect with and support patients emotionally. In times like these, when most people’s usual support network was also disrupted by the pandemic, it’s particularly important for institutions to care for their staff. Royal Trinity Hospice gave these cards to staff in February 2021 as a reminder of the different services available to them.

Founded in 1891, Royal Trinity Hospice is England’s oldest hospice. They provide in-patient and community palliative and end of life care in South West London.