A new project is launching to support hospital patients with sensory needs who are in need of emergency care. Sensory friendly resource bags are being made available at Lincoln, Boston and Grantham hospitals. Patients with sensory needs often find Emergency Department environments overwhelming, due to all of the noises and activity. To support patients with autism or learning disabilities, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust is introducing the bags which include items such as noise-cancelling headphones, an eye mask, stress ball, a sensory chew bracelet and a colouring book with pencils. Each bag also contains an easy-read patient information leaflet and a feedback form to gather insights for continuous improvement. Specialist Safeguarding Learning Disability Nurse Kerry Poberezniuk, Safeguarding and Vulnerabilities Nurse Specialist for Dementia Zoe Chapman and Patient Experience Manager Sharon Kidd came up with the idea. They also had support from Lincolnshire patients who are experts by experience. One such expert by experience is David. He said: “These bags are really great and helpful. I wish they had been around the last time I came to A&E as they really would have helped me. At least I know to ask for one if I ever need to attend in the future.” Kerry said: “Our new sensory friendly bags are designed to help create a calm and safe space when senses become overwhelmed and there is a need to get away from the outside world, ultimately giving our patients a better experience whilst waiting to be seen and cared for. “The feedback from staff has been incredible. It’s truly inspiring to see how such a simple idea can have a huge positive impact on someone’s healthcare experience. The bags are especially useful for patients who arrive unexpectedly and do not have their own coping items.” Staff can also update a patient’s records to help improve communication during their stay and also identify any additional support they might need during future visits. The bags have been funded by the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity. Charity Manager, Ben Petts, said: “Nobody ever wants to visit an Emergency Department, but it is even more daunting and overwhelming for people with learning disabilities. As a charity we fund the extras not covered by the NHS and our proud to be supporting these bags.” Kerry added: “Together, we can make a real difference to the hospital experience for patients with sensory needs.”   Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/smolaw11

Robert and Maureen Macdonald have donated £10,000 to purchase lifesaving equipment to say thank you to the hospital team who resuscitated her. Maureen suffers from atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate. As a result she has had several visits to the Emergency Department at Pilgrim hospital and to the Acute Cardiac Unit. Maureen said: “I have AF and I cannot control it. I have also had a pacemaker and four stents fitted. Sometimes my heart rhythm just flips out and there is nothing I can do. It is just so exhausting and makes me so tired. “I have had several trips to the hospital and stays on the Acute Cardiac Unit. I can honestly say they are the most amazing team. I owe them my life, without them I would not be here today.” On Friday 5 April, Maureen’s heart stopped while she was in hospital. Staff on the unit were joined by the Critical Care Outreach team who all worked together to perform CPR and successfully resuscitated Maureen. Maureen said: “The only thing I can remember is that as I came back, Deputy Sister Molly Parker was holding my hand and telling me that everything was going to be OK. “Thanks to all of their efforts and care I was then able to attend my daughter Zoe’s wedding just a couple of months later. They gave me the gift of life and time. How can you put a price on that? Thank you just didn’t seem enough.” Towards the end of April staff at the hospital held a 12 hour CPR-a-thon to raise funds to purchase a machine that performs mechanical chest compressions if a person has a cardiac arrest and CPR is prolonged. The hospital already had a LUCAS CPR Chest Compression System machine within the Emergency Department to help to resuscitate patients, however on occasions this had not been available for use in other parts of the hospital. So the team organised the event which saw members of the Critical Care Outreach Team, the Hospital Out of Hours Team, the Acute Cardiac Unit Team and the Intensive Care Unit Team performing CPR for 12 hours non-stop on a mannequin. Maureen heard about the event and had a chat with Robert. She said: “I asked him what price he would put on my life? And when I suggested £10,000 he completely agreed that we would fund the device and donate the money.” Robert added: “They have given us everything. As the saying goes ‘you cannot take it with you when you go’ and so we didn’t think twice. We just hope that it helps this amazing team to save even more lives, just like they did with Maureen.” The Holbeach couple are both aged 82 and have been married for 62 years. They met at school and have two children and two grandchildren. Their daughter Zoe joined them on the visit to the hospital. Acute Cardiac Unit Sister, Chelsea Spencer, said: “I am the proudest sister in the whole hospital. It is so special to see Maureen well today and not needing our care. We are all so moved and grateful for this amazing donation from the Macdonalds. But the best gift of all is getting to see Maureen as a visitor and not as a patient.” Critical Care Outreach Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Hayley Head, organised the CPR-a-thon. She said: “Robert and Maureen’s support will help us to save lives. We couldn’t believe it when we heard all of the money had been raised. It was so emotional for all of us and when we realised it had come from the Macdonalds we were all so moved. They are an amazing couple and we have named this device ‘the Macs’ in recognition of their amazing generosity.” The couple donated the money to the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity who then used the funds to purchase the device. Fundraiser Gary Burr said: “Robert and Maureen are an amazing couple. In life you meet certain people who leave an imprint on your heart and they have certainly done that on the unit and within our charity team. They are like a ray of sunshine who bring joy and laughter wherever they go. We will never be able to thank them enough for their amazing generosity.” A couple of days after the visit, ‘the Macs’ was used for the first time and helped to save a patient’s life.   Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/Stockfotos-MG

City of Lincoln Council has called in the Police to look into suggestions that staff at Lincoln Crematorium have not dealt with the burial of ashes in accordance with the wishes of the families of the deceased.

Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA) is saying a big thank you to a Grantham runner who has raised over £3,000 for the charity’s life-saving work and is already planning her next race. Since her first run in 2021, Rachel has taken part in two Great North Runs and last year’s London Landmarks half Marathon. She is currently training for her third Great North Run with her daughter, Jess, which is taking place on 8 September in Newcastle. Rachel Hamilton has run numerous races in support of LNAA over the years. She said: “As a family we have needed the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance not once but twice. I ran the Great North Run in 2022 in memory of my dear dad who we sadly lost eight years ago and for my aunty, Jane Gosbee, when she was involved in a road traffic incident in 2021.  Without the help of the crew she may not be here today.” Georgia Watson, Events Manager, has full admiration for Rachel for her fundraising efforts. She said: “It is fantastic, what Rachel has achieved in the last few years. As a charity, Lincs & Notts relies on its supporters like Rachel to raise the £13million needed to keep our Air Ambulance and fleet of Critical Care Cars operational.”