Patients' stories

Dr Simon Lewis, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist gave an overview of Simmons House Adolescent Unit, Whittington Health’s inpatient psychiatric unit for young people. He introduced the mother of a 16-year-old patient called Peter (not his real name), who was unable to leave his mother’s side. She described how Peter’s problems were so severe his family was barely coping. Peter’s admission to Simmons House was critical to him remaining in their care. The unit gave his family much needed respite, support and a means of unravelling his issues. Peter’s mother described Simmons House as “a hugely valuable rare resource” and “a truly unique service” with dedicated staff with specialist skills. Peter has since returned to school and the family is very proud of what he has achieved.

 

Mishael Akpan, manager of Whittington Health’s Mobility and Seating Solution Centre, introduced a patient with facioscapulohumeral (FSH) muscular dystrophy, a progressive musclewasting disease for which there is no cure. The patient had been referred to Whittington Health’s Mobility and Seating Solution Centre. This service provides assessment, advice, provision and maintenance of wheelchairs and associated seating for people with permanent or long-term mobility problems. Following a contribution from the patient, she was issued with a powered wheelchair and given support and information by the service. Explaining the extent to which this had improved her quality of life, she said that without it, she would have needed a carer. She went on to explain that four times a week she travels the six miles to her local swimming pool and can use buses to get into central London. The patient described the service as “fantastic”, saying that any requests or queries were responded to within a couple of days and the team had helped to give back her independence.

Kalice is a 26-year-old patient with agoraphobia who receives dental care in her own home as she is unable to leave it. By video, she told her story of being housebound, suffering from panic attacks and depression, therefore being unable to attend dental appointments. A referral to community dentistry meant she was able to receive many treatments at home including X-rays, fillings, extractions and even surgical dentistry. Without the domiciliary dental service, she would have lost her teeth and been very sick from repeated abscesses. Her confidence was improved through contact with the community dentist, who then referred her on to a psychologist and she is now able to leave her home for short periods. This impressive service demonstrates flexible, patient-centred care adapted to the needs of the people it serves.

Matron Logan Van Lessen explained to the Trust Board that, following a successful pilot, fathers are now allowed to stay in hospital overnight following the birth of their child. In a survey, 94.7 per cent said they thought this was a good idea. This cost neutral initiative from the Whittington is the first of its kind in London. Due to its success, it is likely to be rolled out to other hospitals. It is also a great example of achievement in one of our core strategic goals - building a culture of innovation and improvement. Matron Van Lessen introduced Brian and Jennifer, who recently welcomed daughter Charlotte into the world. Brian stayed overnight at the Whittington after the birth and he explained that it gave him peace of mind. Jennifer added: “to have the continued emotional support of my partner at a time of vulnerability definitely helped to make the birth a very positive experience”.