The Thinking of You service launched by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust has already helped more than 1,000 people send messages to their loved ones.

The service has made a huge difference to patients who are delighted to receive a letter from home, a child’s drawing, or photograph of a loved one.

Therefore, the Trust has expanded the service to include those patients who do not have family or loved ones nearby and have not received any messages.

Anyone can now send a get well message to one of these patients, to brighten their day, which is why this aspect of the Thinking of you service is called, ‘raise a smile’.

Tony Chambers, Chief Executive, said: “Our Thinking of you scheme has been really well received; however it has highlighted the fact that some of our more socially isolated patients have no contact with anyone other than hospital staff throughout their stay.”