'Operation Childrens Theatres' - Raising funds to improve our new Southwest Peninsula Children Surgical Unit!
Victoria Salt is raising money for Plymouth Hospital Charity
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We are hosting a Charity Band night on 29th March 2025 to continue our fundraising, to improve the facilities in our childrens theatres!
More info & tickets in updates section below!
Please read below on why this is so important for families in the Southwest...
The Southwest Peninsula is the only part of England where children and families do not live within 1 hour of a specialist children’s hospital. As a result, families and children are required to travel significant distances to Bristol to access specialist surgical services. At University Hospital Plymouth, we have invested in developing children’s surgical services over the last decade. Following the pandemic, we have prioritised the needs of children and built a new stand-alone children’s surgical unit.
This facility is designed to meet the needs of children and young people who require planned or unplanned surgery. It allows more operations to be delivered on children each year – up to 1000 extra cases are possible. It also allows us to address the long waiting lists of children waiting for surgery, not only in the Plymouth area, but also across Devon and Cornwall.
Perhaps, most importantly, it enables us to offer surgery for some children who would otherwise be required to travel out of region to Bristol for their care. By working closely with teams at Bristol Children’s Hospital, and other centres in Devon and Cornwall, we can identify children who can be redirected for their care at the new Southwest Peninsula Children’s Surgical Unit in Plymouth at University Hospital Plymouth (UHP).
Children and young people find coming to hospital for surgery an extremely anxious time, and we are seeing a significant increase in anxiety and mental health issues in children following the pandemic. One of the key strategies for helping children cope with their anxiety, alongside good preparation, is delivering care in a relaxing environment designed to meet the needs of both younger children as well as adolescents.
The building work has now been completed and the facility, and the additional resources it offers, is open. We wish to improve the areas accessed by children to deliver a truly child centred experience, which will benefit every family who attends the unit for surgery.
We’ve been successful in securing funding for wall decoration, but are now fundraising to be able to offer improved facilities, such as a designated sensory room, and an improved discharge area.
We would be very grateful if you would consider making a donation towards this project and help us achieve the completion of this outstanding new service for children in Plymouth, Devon, Cornwall and the wider Southwest.
Thank you!