PATIENTS are being urged to get out of their pyjamas and into their own clothes as research suggests getting up and dressed can shorten stays in hospital.

Staff from the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals (RBCH)hope to boost recovery times and improve dignity for patients with the End PJ Paralysis campaign.

The 70-day challenge is part a national drive to give patients back one million days of their precious time that would otherwise be wasted in bed in hospital. It also coincides with the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

Staff at the hospitals have embraced the campaign and kicked it off by wearing their own pyjamas to work to highlight how much more dignified it is for patients to be wearing their own clothes.

The Trust has also produced a video to explain the benefits of patients getting out of bed and into their own clothes, which can be found at rbch.nhs.uk.

Naomi Patrick, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist for Older People’s Medicine, said: "Staff from across the Trust have really embraced this campaign. We kicked off the first of the 70 days with many staff wearing their pyjamas – some even wore their PJs to run training or host meetings.

"We find that patients wearing pyjamas often feel more unwell and have a slower recovery than they might otherwise and we as caregivers perceived them differently too. This is why it’s so important we get patients up and dressed whenever possible so they can get home and back to normality."

She urged friends and family to help out by bringing patients' own clothes into hospital and taking any dirty clothes home.

"If you have friends or family in hospital, please offer to bring their clothes in and take any dirty clothes home. You could also encourage them to get active while in our care – you’ll be helping them more than you know."