A hospital charity is appealing for donations of tea, coffee and energy drinks to support frontline staff during the pandemic.

The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) charity has issued an emergency Covid appeal for donations to helped “exhausted” staff.

Urgently needed items include tea, coffee, energy drinks, natural fruit juices, breakfast bars and other food items and refreshments.

RNOH Charity chief executive Rosie Stolarski said: “We were overwhelmed by the incredible generosity shown during the height of the pandemic in 2020.

“As we begin 2021, the situation has worsened considerably. RNOH staff are facing undue pressures and ever-increasing challenges that have never been experienced in the NHS due to the impact of Covid-19.

“Our aim is to offer much-needed support to the RNOH’s incredible staff during this difficult time. Any donation would be gratefully received.”

The official NHS charity hopes to provide staff with “wellbeing bags” on a regular basis.

The hospital is facing increasing pressure as new Covid patients are being admitted to the wards daily. The Stanmore hospital has been temporarily converted into a Covid recovery centre, treating patients from north central London.

In a bid to ease pressure elsewhere within the NHS, the hospital has taken more than 100 Covid positive patients from North Middlesex University Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital. It is also continuing to provide surgical care for its most urgent patients ⁠— both adult and paediatric.

As we begin 2021, the situation has worsened considerably. RNOH staff are facing undue pressures and ever-increasing challenges that have never been experienced in the NHS due to the impact of Covid-19.

Prof Paul Fish, the RNOH interim chief executive, said: “The ongoing commitment shown by RNOH staff and our partner contractors to our patients is humbling. It is through their selfless dedication to ensuring we continue to deliver world-class care during this pandemic that inspires me — and the public — every day.

“All our clinical and non-clinical staff are part of the RNOH family and the donations from the wider community mean so much to them. So, on behalf of all the RNOH, thank you to the RNOH Charity and everyone who has donated so far and who continue to do so.

“It’s only by working together and looking after each other that we’ll get through this — and we will.”