Sewing room

The sewing room is not the first department that comes to mind when you think about the support services that a healthcare organisation needs. Yet they provide an essential service; providing uniforms for staff and helping out with alterations and repairs.

The sewing room, run by Fatima Zerroud and Souad Areiqat, is the first port of call for staff who need a uniform. The team provide around 600 uniforms a month; measuring staff for size, ordering the uniforms and then making any alterations necessary to ensure that it fits perfectly.

The team are also responsible for altering or repairing up to 120 garments a week and repair curtains and other such items requested by the wards and departments.

The sewing room is not just for staff but also for patients, as they carry out adjustments and repairs to clothing to help both groups. They have made bespoke clothing for burns victims which will not irritate their healing skin, and repaired items such as small support pillows for babies on the neonatal unit.

The team is led by Catherine Leak, assistant facilities manager and Andrea Wright assistant general manager. Catherine said: “The overriding impression given by the ladies of the sewing room is that they care – for the staff they assist, for the smooth running of the sewing room and for the standards of the uniforms they distribute and repair. We are lucky to have such a good humoured and dedicated team.

“They are an outstanding team who are dedicated and committed in all areas of their work ensuring staff leave the department with their uniforms and a smile!”