Your Local Paper is teaming up with The Queen Elizabeth Hospital to give a very special present to patients and staff.
The Falls Support Appeal is aiming to raise £35,000 to buy specialist equipment such as monitoring systems, which include alarms and sensor wired under-pads for beds and chairs as well as falls management devices used to move and lift patients of all ages. Included are scoop stretchers, transfer boards and hover mattresses.
Preventing slips, trips and falls among patients is a significant priority for the QEH and the hospital already has lots of measures in place to prevent falls where possible.
It is hoped that the people of West Norfolk will rally around the QEH, with its limited resources, to fundraise to buy a host of new appliances to make sure that every ward has the best equipment to support this important work.
QEH Chief Executive Caroline Shaw has thanked Your Local Paper for supporting the appeal, which will help to make a big difference to patients.
She said: “The people of West Norfolk are legendary for their support for the patients and staff at this hospital. We are incredibly thankful for the thousands of donations we receive each year and our teams would not be able to provide the care they do without the community’s generous help.
“Our staff do everything possible to prevent a patient having a fall by conducting assessments, using alarms and giving them anti-slip socks but we are hoping that increasing the amount of equipment we have available will help us to do even more and provide enhanced care and ensure the safety and wellbeing of our patients.
“Everyone is aware of the restricted finances in the NHS so we are grateful
to Your Local Paper for their help in raising the money to buy such
important equipment.”
Alan Taylor, managing director of YLP, said: “What a great way to celebrate our sixth
anniversary by launching a campaign with the QEH, benefitting the very community we
serve.
“The equipment we are asking readers to help raise money for will make all the
difference to patients and staff. We a delighted to help and look forward to reaching
the target.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of our readers, advertisers and
contributors who have kept us in the number one spot in West Norfolk and stay with us
as we continue to grow.”
With the funds raised the Trust could buy:
• 20 monitoring systems, alarms and pads – these are placed on a
chair or bed to alert staff if a patient who is at high risk of falls
has moved
• 16 Patslides – an all-purpose transfer board for beds or stretchers
• 4 scoop stretchers – an appliance to move and lift patients with
limited mobility
The QEH is also hoping to buy two patient flat lift kits, including one to
assist bariatric patients. These kits include a HoverJack, which is an
inflatable device to lift a patient lying on their back on the floor to
stretcher or bed height. A HoverMatt is also included – the mattress allows
safe patient transfer onto a bed or stretcher. The kits come complete with
air supply facility and storage cart.
Falls Prevention Specialist Nurse Rose Avanzado has said the new equipment is
going to make a huge difference to both patients and staff.
She said: “There are a variety of reasons why some of our patients can be at risk
of falling. This can be down to delirium and disorientation or if they have a
background of dementia or another cognitive impairment.
“This new equipment is going to mean such a lot to the staff, especially knowing
that is going to be funded by people in the community of West Norfolk.
“Additional alarms will help us to monitor patients to help prevent falls but the
flat lift kits are going to be invaluable.”
The hospital would like individuals, businesses, groups and communities
to get involved by organising or hosting fundraising events and
activities, giving sponsorship money from event participation or
sending donations.
To donate to the Falls Support Appeal:
• Online: http://www.justgiving.com/qehkl-FallsSupportAppeal
• Send a cheque payable to Falls Support Appeal to Laurence
Morlaàs, Fundraising Executive, QEH, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn
PE30 4ET
• Fill in a coupon
Gift Aid sponsorship and donations forms as well as appeal posters are
available from Laurence Morlaàs or to download from
http://www.qehkl.nhs.uk/fundraising. For further information please email:
laurence.morlaas@qehkl.nhs.uk or ring 01553 613373.
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QEH Media Hub 