Nurses have used their own money to buy pillows for patients, says Telford council leader Shaun Davies

Councillor Shaun Davies said he was “angry” having been told by workers at Princess Royal Hospital that nurses had bought pillows for patients.

But the Shrewsbury & Telford Hospitals NHS Trust today said no nurses have been asked to buy pillows.

Councillor Davies claimed he was given the information during a visit to the hospital on Grainger Drive in Apley, Telford.

The Labour leader tweeted about the problem and has since described it as unacceptable.

He says he intends to raise the issue with board members from the trust, which runs the county’s two acute hospitals, the Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

He said: “I was on a visit to the PRH to see a family member where myself and others were told by a member of the SaTH trust that nurses have bought pillows for beds. I don’t know if it is a hospital-wide issue or just isolated. I will be raising this with the trust board chair.

“I am very concerned that our nurses are reporting this as an issue.

“I am sure we all agree this is not acceptable.”

The claim has been denied by the trust, which says that no staff have been asked to buy pillows and that processes are in place to purchase such items.

They have urged anyone who has been told otherwise to contact them for clarification.

Deirdre Fowler, director of nursing, midwifery and quality at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

She said: “I am not aware that any of our staff have been asked to personally buy pillows and I would not expect any NHS staff to do so.

“Items such as pillows are bought by departments through our procurement processes.

“If anybody has inadvertently been advised otherwise I would encourage them to contact me to allay their concerns.”