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Friends' grants enhance patient care
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) patients are benefiting from generous grants given by the Friends of West Suffolk Hospital charity, made possible by donations and legacies from the community, and the Friends’ shop.
The grants totalling nearly £72,000 are supporting staff across WSFT, including clinical teams who applied for funds to enhance patient care. The critical care outreach team (CCOT), which provides specialist care to patients whose condition is deteriorating, received £17,858 to buy five Airvo machines.
Head of nursing for CCOT Julie Head said: “These new machines have been a huge support to our team. They deliver humidified oxygen to patients, and can reduce the need for invasive ventilation, which makes oxygen therapy more tolerable for people who are being cared for.
“The Airvos also deliver oxygen through nasal tubes instead of a mask, which means that the patients using them can eat, drink, talk, and move around easily without having to take the mask off, allowing for better quality of life while in hospital.” Julie added that as well as improving patient outcomes, the machines enhance efficiency for the CCOT, making them an invaluable resource.
Diogo Torre, deputy senior nurse for critical care outreach and resuscitation, said: “We are so grateful to the Friends for their support. The grant has already had an incredible impact on our patients.”
Local people who volunteer to support the Trust’s clinical research programme are also benefiting from a Friends’ grant of £1,400 to improve their experience. The clinical research team has been recognised both nationally and internationally for its achievements in recruiting people to take part in research projects that will improve patient safety and care and transform healthcare in the future. In 2023-24 almost 1,000 patients volunteered to take part in trials, and the grant from the Friends will ensure that in future, they have a more comfortable experience.
Lead research nurse Lisa Wood said: “With the grant we have been able to buy three items that have improved our clinic room, helping us provide a spacious and inviting environment for the patients and relatives who come in to visit us. As well as a new phlebotomy chair and desk, the grant has allowed us to buy a research iPad for use in our clinics, or in the emergency department (ED) to facilitate consent, random selection, and the completion of questionnaires.
“These items greatly benefit our trial patients, who give up their time to volunteer to participate in our research. It is nice for us to reward this in a small way by making this space more welcoming. Thank you to the Friends for this generous donation.”
As well as generous donations and legacies, The Friends’ funds are boosted by the profits from the shop at the West Suffolk Hospital. This is open from Monday to Friday, and staffed by volunteers, many of whom have given their time for decades. The shop also operates an online service for inpatients, visitors and loved ones of patients who cannot visit but would like to send a gift or treat.
The Friends of West Suffolk Hospital Online Shop provides drinks, sweets and snacks, toiletries, gifts, things to do, certain mobility aids, and electrical goods such as chargers. The service runs from Monday to Friday, order by 11.00am for same-day delivery to wards between 1.00 to 3.00pm.
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