Sandwell Hospital shop to shut after 30 years

The Royal Voluntary Shop sells newspapers, greetings cards and food but is being replaced with a facility managed by the health thrust.

The shop has around 20 members of voluntarily staff, with three full time employees.

As well as working in the shop itself, the staff also take a trolley around wards for patients that cannot walk very far.

After a recent meeting, staff were told the shop would be closing in January.

Full details of what exactly will replace the shop have not yet been revealed but NHS bosses said they wanted to manage their own service in the future.

The closure has been met with shock by volunteers who say the shop is a vital part of the hospital for both visitors and patients.

But hospital bosses insist the volunteers should not feel rejected, assuring them they are still important to the running of the site.

David Payne, aged 58 from Stone Cross, has been volunteering for nearly four years and is bitterly disappointed by the decision.

He said: "I don't agree with the decision at all. I completely understand finances for hospitals are being cut all over the country but I feel this is a vital service being lost for Sandwell. Patients are stuck in beds all day every day and we do our best to cheer them up. Only if it's for a few minutes, we create a real difference.

"Some patients look forward to seeing what we have on offer on the trolley - something as small as that is invaluable to their time as a patient.

"I'd hate to think the hospital is thinking of finances over patient service in the shop closure."

Chief nurse Colin Ovington confirmed the closure of the shop and thanked the Royal Voluntary Service for all of their hard work.

He said: "Volunteers are vital to our trust and we decided that we wanted to operate our own service.

"This has led to the transfer of volunteers back into our organisation and the closure of the shop at Sandwell.

"Historically we have been supported by the Royal Voluntary Service through an agreement to manage the trust's volunteers.

"They provided invaluable help to staff, patients and visitors through on-site shops and their service to hospital wards.

"We would like to acknowledge their significant contribution and thank each volunteer for their commitment."