A skincare brand has been inspired by a West Cumberland Hospital nurse to help health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pol Donaldson, who has worked throughout at the hospital, found she was suffering from skin problems and was sent some of the Skin Salvation ointment from Balmonds by her friend Sophie Baudrand-Venables, an operations director originally from Cumbria. Sophie said: “I found out about Skin Salvation, sent some to Pol and it was the only thing that worked on her constant skin sores. I continued to keep her in a supply of Skin Salvation then wrote to Balmonds and said ‘this is what’s going on’ and asked them to consider turning it into an official scheme, which they did.
West Cumbrian nurse inspires nationwide skin campaign
Pol Donaldson is a staff nurse at the West Cumberland Hospital and was working on the COVID-19 ITU during both waves
A nurse from West Cumbria has inspired a new campaign to support NHS workers suffering from pandemic-induced eczema.
A combination of constant hand washing, harsh sanitiser gel, uncomfortable PPE and stress have all been cited as the reasons behind an “eczema epidemic” among NHS workers, identified by a study by the British Society for Cutaneous Allergy.
The research, presented by the British Association of Dermatologists, cited that six out of ten healthcare workers seen in occupational skin disease clinics had irritant contact dermatitis, with one in five so severely affected that they needed time off work.