A hospital stay, however short, can be tough on everyone.

Add in the current ban on visitors for adult patients* at Cork University Hospital and it can be tricky to remind your nearest and dearest that you are thinking of them.

Now a CUH doctor has reminded us of a simple way to brighten up an inpatient’s day; by placing a phone order for delivery from the CUH shop.

Just found out this morning the Cork University Hospital @CUH_Cork shop will deliver to patients on wards and take phone in orders at 086 022 0695. Great people to help with isolation patients have ( and relatives) It’s the little things@Corks96FM @rte @HSELive @brendanoreillyp pic.twitter.com/IxVIWZ2duc

— Mike O’ Connor (@mikecuh) August 29, 2021

Care of the Elderly Physician Dr Mike O’Connor tweeted: “Just found out this morning the Cork University Hospital @CUH_Cork shop will deliver to patients on wards and take phone-in orders at 086 022 0695. Great people to help with isolation patients have (and relatives). It’s the little things.”

The Send a Smile service is designed to bring small comforts to patients and their relatives with a delivery of a daily paper, a puzzle book, or a cold drink. For patients who are in isolation, the items are dropped to the nurse’s station to pass on.

Of course, if you have a friend or family member who has been in the hospital for an extended period of time, you may be aware of this service already. However, for people who are new to CUH or struggling to support a relative who is receiving treatment, it could be a game-changer.

*Visitors are not allowed except for people visiting patients at end of life or parents of children in the paediatric ward.