Patients at St Peter's Hospital in Maldon are making friends of the four legged variety in a scheme to help their recovery.
Maldon & South Chelmsford Primary Care Trust, which runs the hospital, has arranged regular visits from PAT (Pets As Therapy) Dogs to visit patients.
Hospital Matron, Jan Crozier, believes the animals can play a significant part in patients' recovery. "Many elderly people have pets which they miss when in hospital. It has been proven that stroking a dog helps lower heart rates and relieves stress but, more importantly, it gives elderly patients contact with the outside world," she said.
Pat Dogs is a national organisation and one of its local members is Diane Sawford of Great Braxted. She plans to bring her two dogs, Jed and Saxon, to visit patients once a fortnight on a Friday afternoon.
Diane said, "I take Jed and Saxon to a couple of local residential homes and the dogs and residents thoroughly enjoy it. We have all been looking forward to visiting St Peter's."
Patients at St Peter's are already benefiting from refurbished wards and improved facilities thanks to work which has been carried out as part of a major improvement programme funded by the Department of Health.
Published Monday, April 28, 2003
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