This is our vision for the future of cystic fibrosis care at NUH: a new purpose-built unit that will quite literally transform care for this special group of patients.
Nottingham Hospitals Charity is launching a £2.1m cystic fibrosis fundraising campaign to help create this state-of-the-art medical facility at Nottingham City Hospital.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an isolating and devastating condition. Patients cannot mix with other sufferers due to the risk of cross-infecting one another with potentially fatal lung infections, preventing them from getting face-to-face support from the only other people who really understand their illness.
CF patients often spend several months out of every year in hospital, for long periods at a time, separating them from family and friends and taking them away from their homes.
Nottingham Hospitals Charity wants to transform the care of this unique group of young patients by creating a ‘home in hospital’, where patients can not only receive all the treatment they need in one place, but also feel comfortable and at-home during the long periods of time they have to spend in hospital.
Patients have welcomed the news – CF patient Caroline Spencer, from Forest Town, Mansfield, said: “CF patients spend so much time in hospital that it is almost like a second home to us, so it will mean a lot to have such a fantastic new unit to meet all our different needs, such as exercise, nutrition and medication, and give us a more positive experience while we’re in hospital. It will be great to have somewhere homely for our family and friends to visit us while we’re in hospital, as being able to have our loved ones close by will help us to feel less isolated.”
Nottingham Hospitals Charity needs to raise at least £2.1m for the new CF unit. The £6.6m project is also being part-funded by the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH). It is hoped that this project will set a new standard, not just for CF treatment but for healthcare across the NHS, and put the patients at the centre of their treatment.
The new 16 bedded CF unit will be able to serve more than 250 patients from across Nottinghamshire and the surrounding counties, almost doubling the number of patients that can be accommodated. The new unit will be able to meet the complex needs of CF patients, transforming their experience when staying in hospital. Building work is due to start on the new unit in August 2012 and is due to be completed in August 2013.
Features of the new unit include:
• video conferencing between rooms so CF patients can talk to one another without the risk of cross-infection, helping to build up a sense of community between this group of isolated young people
• a kitchen area where individual food education classes can be held, or where young families can spend quality time together by cooking and eating together, as diet is an extremely important part of CF treatment, with patients needing almost double the amount of calories as the average person to maintain a healthy weight and digestive system
• individual gym pods, with glass dividers, so that patients can exercise ‘as a group’ without the risk of cross-infection. Exercise is key for CF patients as it helps to improve their lung function, keeping them healthier and reducing their chances of contracting fatal chest infections
• family rooms, for patients who want to be able to allow their children to stay with them during long visits to hospital
• gardens and outdoor exercise space to encourage patients to keep healthy by exercising in a more appealing environment, helping to prevent dangerous chest infections
Dr Jane Dewar, a cystic fibrosis consultant at NUH, said: “This new unit will completely transform the treatment of CF patients. This unique group of young people currently have very limited facilities, and we want to provide them with something that will be able to meet all their needs. Instead of them having to wait for side rooms in the hospital to be available, we want them to be able to come into the new unit as soon as their condition starts to worsen, and we want all the services they need to be on hand, all in one building.
“This is an amazing opportunity for the NHS and Nottingham Hospitals Charity to work together to provide a fantastic new unit to transform the care of cystic fibrosis patients and create a home in hospital for this special group of people.”
Patients at the City Hospital currently receive their multi-disciplinary treatment from several different areas across the hospital, visiting doctors, specialist nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, dieticians and social workers in different ward areas, meaning they do not receive their treatment in a single CF centre. With all the staff in one area, they will be able to communicate more effectively with one another and be more easily accessible to patients who often have to come into hospital at short notice.
Barbara Cathcart, Chief Executive of Nottingham Hospitals Charity, said: “The Charity is delighted to be supporting such an innovative approach to the care of patients with cystic fibrosis.
“We need the support of people from across Nottinghamshire and the surrounding counties to help make our vision a reality. We know that we will be extending the excellent care of our local hospitals to a young and vulnerable patient group and showing people in this country how innovative and caring Nottingham’s hospitals are.
“We hope that your support will make the difference between good care and exceptional care, and will contribute towards an excellent experience for our treasured patients.”
There are a host of ways in which you can help fundraise for the new unit. You could make a donation, or hold your own fundraising event, and the fundraising team at Nottingham Hospitals Charity are always on hand to support and advise you. Over the past year, we have helped people climb up mountains, jump out of planes and trek across the country – you would be surprised at what you can achieve with the support of the Charity and your family and friends.
To make a donation, or for advice on fundraising, please call Nottingham Hospitals Charity on 0115 962 7905, or email charity@nuh.nhs.uk.
You can also donate to Nottingham Hospitals Charity’s CF Campaign via text message, by writing ‘NUHC12’ and your chosen amount of £2, £5 or £10 into a text message, and sending it to 70070.
Back
