It is always nice to see how projects funded by Northamptonshire Health Charity unfold and we were really grateful to be invited along to the official opening of the first Swan Room on Creaton Ward at Northampton General Hospital last week.
A huge thanks and well done to Kerry Messam, Deputy Lead Nurse for Palliative and End of Life Care, for putting together the proposal for this pilot, which supports people who are staying with their relative who is receiving end of life care while in hospital.
The first Swan Room has opened on Creaton Ward at NGH
The environment of the particular room on Creaton has been totally transformed, offering somewhere that feels much more soothing and comfortable for the patient but that will certainly help make a big difference to their relatives at this difficult time for them too.
In addition to a comfortable memory foam chair, which can be opened out fully to rest/sleep on, there is a locker housing a number of other resources:
Bluetooth speaker; phone charger; battery-operated candles; a small comfort pack containing toiletries; and a drinks station so that people can make themselves a hot drink without having to rely on the canteen or ward staff.
Kerry said,
The room offers a bespoke space to support not only the dying person but those important to them providing a less clinical environment.
We have a further pilot swan room coming soon within oncology.
We hope that we will then be able to collect feedback that will help support additional swan rooms within the trust.
Thanks again to Kerry who has been instrumental in getting this project moving but also to everyone else involved, including the team on Creaton.
We are looking forward to seeing the Swan Room on Talbot Butler next.
The charity wouldn’t be able to fund projects like this without the incredible support from the local community.
If you would like to make a donation to help us continue funding enhancements to patient care and experience for the Palliative and End of Life team at NGH, or for any other ward or department at one of our local NHS hospitals please visit our donation page or contact us for more information.