Marks & Spencer is donating pyjamas to be used as scrubs by the NHS as part of several initiatives to support the health serviced during the coronavirus outbreak.

Marks & Spencer will give approximately 4,000 pyjamas to NHS Derbyshire, which operates close to the retailer’s Castle Donington distribution centre.

The retailer is also sourcing, packing and delivering clothing care packs to the new NHS Nightingale London hospital “to help provide comfort and dignity for discharged patients” along with specially branded ‘We are the NHS’ T-shirts, which will be part of the uniform pack for staff.

M&S’ food division will also start operating a twice-weekly free delivery service for staff at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, close to its head office, and Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital.

M&S chief executive Steve Rowe said: “We’re doing our bit to help the NHS by focusing on what we do best – providing great food and clothes – in the hope we can make it just a little easier for our NHS heroes to do what they do best, as well as the patients in their care.

“We get through these challenging times by pulling together and it’s been truly humbling to read the suggestions that have been pouring in from colleagues and customers alike with ideas for how we can help those on the NHS frontline.”

NHS Nightingale London chief operating officer Natalie Forrest said: “The packs will ensure real dignity for our patients and make the nurses very proud to be able to provide such an amazing level of care.”

M&S has also enabled customers with Sparks loyalty cards to choose the NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Urgent Appeal as their chosen good cause.