04 October 2018

NHS storytime takeover during National Libraries Week

Local NHS staff are working with Bristol Libraries to provide special story times during Libraries Week, 8 - 13 October.

NHS staff will be reading stories in their uniforms, using books which have been chosen by the libraries about health, doctors and hospitals.

These will run in place of Bristol Libraries' usual story times for pre-school children, taking place in every library across the city and supported by library staff.

Kate Murray, Head of Libraries at Bristol City Council, said: "Bristol Libraries are delighted to be working with NHS partners to bring medical professionals into our very successful story times.

"We have a wealth of information and stories to help reassure children, and their parents and carers, about visiting hospitals and doctors and this is a great way to break down barriers in an informal and fun way."

Tom Osborne, library manager at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, said:

"NHS Storytime is just one of the exciting ways in which we'll be working together over the coming years. We're delighted to have such a fantastic response from all the clinicians across Bristol who are busy practising their best reading voices!

"University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, North Bristol NHS Trust, and Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership libraries have teamed up with Bristol Libraries to ensure the public have access to the best evidence-based health information.

"Better health promotion is really important to us, and we hope NHS Storytime helps parents and children to meet the person behind the stethoscope."

Karen Fletcher, an infection prevention and control nurse who will be taking part in NHS Storytime, said:

"It makes me proud to be an ambassador for the Trust.

"It is important for healthcare staff to build a friendly and trusting relationship with the children, to eradicate any fears they have if they are ever in need of hospital treatment."

This is where you'll be able to find an NHS Storytime session near you:

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