A patient who had stayed at the Abbey Ward (team pictured above) sent a cheque for £300 and wrote:

“[This] is a token of appreciation for the kindness and care I received whilst a patient at the Abbey Ward recently. I wish it to be used by the Abbey ward staff for a treat, for instance for a night out or towards a celebration. I would appreciate knowing how it is used.”

Team from the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit

And another patient enclosed a cheque for £200.

“This is a donation to the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit, following my stay there recently. I received excellent care from all the staff at the unit and am continuing to make good recovery. I hope the money can be used and shared for something that gives pleasure or might be needed on the unit.”

Matron Dawn Roberts said:

“We don’t normally blow our own trumpet, but this feedback has just blown us away and is a real pick up from the challenges that we have all been through. I am so proud of the teams on both wards. I know they are kind, caring and considerate and all the other great words that show how much they care for their patients, but it is always nice to hear it from others.”

‘Perfect introduction to community hospitals’

Student nurse Emma Haylett had such a positive experience of her placement at Abingdon that she emailed her feedback for Clinical Development Nurse Debbie Fletcher.

“I want to start by thanking you personally for the support that you gave me during my placement. I really appreciate the time you took to discuss specific situations that I found challenging and for sharing your experiences.

“The staff on the ward were very supportive, especially the healthcare assistants that I worked with. Molly, Emma B, Sophie, Marie, Mary-Lou, and Lauren were great to work with and made me feel part of the team. The knowledge that these guys have is incredible and it has made me aware of the importance of the role of HCA in the community hospitals. Special thanks to Molly and Emma of whom I probably asked the most questions and who were ALWAYS able to answer and give me some valuable tips and information.

“Many thanks also to Caleb for his advice and knowledge on the drugs rounds. His little hints that I might have missed something were invaluable! Thanks to Dee for sharing her knowledge and humour. Both Caleb and Dee are so patient focused it was a pleasure working with them and watching them.

“If I haven’t mentioned other HCAs, nursing assistants and nurses, it’s probably just that I didn’t work quite as much with them over the course of the placement.

“I was impressed by the patient care and attention to detail from the whole team and the relationships that were built between patients and staff. Even with the challenges that COVID presented to the ward, the staff were motivated and compassionate, putting the patient at the core of everything they did.

“For me, this placement was a perfect introduction to community hospitals. I was able to learn the skills of helping to wash, dress, toilet and mobilize patients. With no previous healthcare experience, this was invaluable, and I saw first-hand how much information can be gained about the patients’ physical and mental health during these interactions. I learnt about some common drugs used on the ward through assisting with the drugs round and this has linked in nicely with my first university module on pharmacokinetics and dynamics.

“The leadership from all the senior team (Debbie, Karen, and Fiona) was evident and I felt that I could ask questions and request support when needed.

“I would love to come and do some extra shifts at the weekend if you ever need some extra hands!”

Volunteer for the League of Friends

Abingdon Community Hospital League of Friends a local charity run by a small group of volunteers who raise funds for all the departments in the hospital, to benefit both patients and staff. The charity is now looking for new volunteers to join the fundraising committee to continue the good work. Please see the League of Friends website for more or take a look at this newsletter.