HOSPITAL staff piled on the pedal power for 12 hours to raise money for equipment that will help critically-ill patients.

A group of nurses, who work in the critical care unit in Basingstoke hospital, spent a whole day on a stationary bike in the reception area of the hospital.

They each pedalled for around an hour on the exercise bike, which they borrowed from the hospital’s rehabilitation unit, between 8am and 8pm.

As well as asking for donations, the nurses also held a tombola draw, with several prizes donated by local businesses, and invited hospital visitors to guess how many kilometres they would complete during the day, to be in with the chance of winning a wine tour in London.

The money raised will go towards purchasing several iPads, which will be programmed to allow critically-ill patients to communicate with hospital staff more easily.

Martine Allen, a sister on the critical care unit, said: “We want to raise money to buy iPads for patients on life-support machines who can’t communicate.

“These iPads can be programmed with various requests and instructions so we will be able to understand what they need, and they will also give patients a line to the outside world.”

She said the team last year raised £2,000, adding: “We don’t really have a target in mind this time. “We just want to raise as much money as possible.”