A local service pulled out all the stops for celebrity guest, Esther Rantzen CBE during the official opening of Midland Heart’s brand new Cedarwood service at Good Hope Hospital.

Cedarwood, a revolutionary new service brought to Good Hope Hospital by Housing and Care Organisation, Midland Heart, supports patients who are medically fit and due to be discharged but need additional support to get back on their feet before returning home.

An existing ward has been re- developed to provide a 29 –private bed purpose built reablement facility based within the grounds of Good Hope Hospital.

The service, which began taking referrals on 24 November 2013, was officially opened by journalist and television presenter, Esther Rantzen who said: “Older people are often criticised for ‘bed-blocking’ in hospitals, what isn’t considered is why they’re not ready to return, in some cases it’s simply not safe for them”

“Here we have a service complete with 24-hour support, curtains, carpet and garden all of which leads to a very positive experience for patients. Cedarwood is such a simple idea, it now needs to be replicated around the country”

“A person-led care plan enables people to regain their confidence and re-familiarise themselves with essential personal skills required to help them live independently again while reducing the chances of re-admission to hospital once discharged,” says Sarah Clee, Head of Older Peoples’ services.

In the first 8 weeks of operation Cedarwood has seen over 80 customers come through their doors and complete the process of reablement getting them ready to return home.

Mark Newbold, chief executive of Good Hope Hospital said of the new service: “The service offers much more than a classic hospital environment and is designed to help bridge the gap between acute inpatient care and return to independent living. Residents are encouraged to participate in activities daily whilst developing their skills to aid their independence and mobility.

“This will help our patients return home, and reduce the chances of re-admission to hospital.  Whilst Cedarwood is not a medical facility, it will provide specialist care to support re-enablement allowing people to be totally independent or return home with a package of care.”

The event was attended by representatives of Midland Heart, Good Hope hospital and Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust along with other stakeholders, customers and staff.

The prospect of coming into hospital can often be a daunting one, especially for children and their families. Understandably, there are many questions and anxieties about what their visit will entail and how it will affect them.

In order to put minds at rest, Heart of England has put together a guide for young patients, specially adapted for three different age groups: under 6, 6-10 and 11+. It covers everything from operations to tests and treatments, as well as what the food is like and a breakdown of different departments.

Keeping patients and their families reassured is intrinsic to providing comprehensive and effective care. Honesty and transparency are vital aspects of building trusting relationships and are especially important where children are concerned.

We believe that, with the right words and manner, every child is deserving and indeed capable of knowing what is happening and why. Likewise, anyone accompanying a child on a hospital visit also has a right to having clear and sincere lines of communication at all times.

Ward 15/16 cares for children aged 0-16, with different areas designated to different age groups. We have found that the older children prefer to be with the same sex and so have separate sections to accommodate this. As with any other ward in the hospital, each patient will have been assigned to a doctor who specialises in the relevant condition. Other staff on the ward, including all the nurses, are trained paediatricians and experts in looking after children and young people.

The wards themselves have been carefully designed to make children and their visitors as comfortable as possible with plenty of activities to keep them occupied. Schooling is also available for those staying for longer periods of time. We recognise the natural instinct for parents and carers to remain close by and so put no limit on visiting hours. There are also designated beds, should they wish to stay the night. Other visitors are always welcome, so long as it does not disrupt the patient’s treatment or recovery.

Whilst clinics are located in different areas of the hospital, all doctors are experienced in treating children and young people and will be more than happy to address any questions or uncertainties from patients and their families. Patients who are relaxed and comfortable often recover more quickly and so we work hard to make sure this is the case.

Julie Taylor, head nurse for children’s services, said: “If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself with your child on our children’s wards, our staff will do their upmost to make your stay as comfortable as possible. All of our nurses are specially trained children’s nurses who are supported by experienced health care assistants and a play specialist team.”

Following the busy Christmas period, the first Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust health seminar of 2014 will discuss stress, the sustained effects of stress, signs and symptoms and building resilience.

Taking place Tuesday 21 January at 5pm in the Education Centre at Heartlands Hospital, the health seminar will include a presentation, providing tips and advice on how to manage stress, and a Q&A session.

The health seminar will be run by Sara Wood, occupational health and wellbeing manager at the Trust. She said: “The feeling of being under too much emotional pressure can lead to stress and manifest itself in physical symptoms. Work, relationships and money problems are often the greatest triggers of stress, which can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem.

“People react to stress in different ways. You may experience headaches, muscle tension, loss of appetite and become less tolerant. This dedicated health seminar will help discuss the ways in which stress can be managed, what support is available and how individuals can quickly recognize the symptoms of stress to make sure they can regain control before it has an impact on their health.”

To book your place or to find out details of the Hospital’s future health seminars, contact Sandra White on 0121 424 1218 or email sandra.white@heartofengland.nhs.uk.

Looking for a fresh start to 2014? Want to get some experience under your belt, and at the same time make a real difference? Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust is on the search for fundraising volunteers.

The Trust is looking for dedicated volunteers to help with everything from bucket collections to research to managing a bric-a-brac stall. The Trust’s Charity – the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust Charity – helps raise money for the little extras that make a big difference to patients. It could be anything from new chairs in a waiting area to a piece of state-of-the-art machinery.

Audra Petherick, fundraising officer at the Trust, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for enthusiastic individuals to make a real difference to the lives of our patients through fundraising. You will have the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities, make new friends and have lots of fun. No experience is needed; all we ask for is enthusiasm and a passion for supporting patients at our hospitals, and we’ll help you all the way.”

Fundraising volunteers are very important to our Hospitals and there is no limit to the imaginative ways in which you can help us raise money. Fundraising is fun, rewarding and a great opportunity to meet lots of new people.

The roles are open to anyone aged 18 upwards. If you are interested, contact the Fundraising team on 0121 424 3838 or email fundraising@heartofengland.nhs.uk for further information.