Patients at Whipps Cross Hospital are being urged to ditch their pyjamas, get dressed and boost their recovery as part of a new campaign.

Whipps is taking part in the #EndPJparalysis scheme, which is running for 70 days at NHS hospitals across the country.

Barts Health Trust, which operates the Leytonstone hospital, is getting on board with the campaign to help achieve the national target of one million recorded days of patients being up, dressed and on their feet.

The trust says factors such as extended best rest, not sitting to a table to meals and not wearing usual clothes can slow recovery or even have a long-term impact on patients' health.

Tris Kerr, associate director of Nursing at Whipps, said: “My nan had a stroke in her 60s and because of this she had to spend a lot of time wearing hospital gowns.

“She wasn’t encouraged to wear her own clothes and this really impacted on how she felt whilst in hospital. She loved clothes and fashion and was used to feeling glamorous.

“We spoke with my nan’s nurses who agreed she could wear her own clothes. This seemingly small change instantly lifted her mood and made her feel more confident and independent. She got her spark back.

“When you wear a hospital gown or pyjamas it can affect how you see yourself and may mean that you adopt the ‘patient’ role.

“It’s our job to get our patients better; to get them home to their lives and their loved ones as soon as they are able.”