Helping our patients stay connected
Workers at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust have been working hard to make sure that patients can stay connected with their loved ones during visiting restrictions.
Every inpatient ward at both Queen Elizabeth Hospital and University Hospital Lewisham now has a mobile device to use with patients, thanks to all the staff who have used their contacts to encourage these generous donations.
While many of the devices have been donated by staff and friends of the Trust, others have been donated by local NHS partners including our Sustainability and Transformation Partnership and South London Health Innovation Network.
A patient on Ash Ward at University Hospital Lewisham commented: “When you are in hospital you feel that you are away from everyone who knows you well. Hearing the sound of my sons' voices has been so important to me, as they couldn't visit and keep me company. We were so delighted to be able to stay in touch."
Kate Hudson, lead dementia nurse specialist at QEH explains: “Being able to hear the voice or see the face of a loved one makes such a difference to our patients. The calls help patients feel more connected with life outside the hospital and are reassuring for relatives too, whose natural instinct is to want to be at the bedside."
Before being used with patients, the donated devices are disinfected, wiped of any data, and tested for safety. Then communication apps are installed to allow video conversation between patients and relatives/other virtual visitors.
The Trust is also encouraging relatives to send in e-postcards to be printed and delivered to patients.
These innovative initiatives are a wonderful example of colleagues working together to support the mental health of our patients and their relatives while they are apart at such a stressful time.