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Help us to prevent and manage patient falls

Your Local Paper is celebrating its sixth anniversary by 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 falls prevention and management equipment such as monitoring systems,
which include alarms and sensor wired under-pads for beds and chairs as well as devices used to move and lift patients of all ages.  Included are scoop stretchers, transfer boards and inflatable 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 are 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 it 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: 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 in Your Local Paper
  

• Gift Aid sponsorship and donations forms as well as appeal posters are available from Laurence Morlaàs or to download from www.qehkl.nhs.uk/fundraising 

• For further information please email: laurence.morlaas@qehkl.nhs.uk or ring 01553 613373.