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How did we do?
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Improving patient experience
Our projects help transform the life chances of patients, as well as
supporting them and their loved ones during times of great worry and
stress. We strive to fund projects, services and enhancements that will
make a real difference to their care and experience at King’s.
Boredom and anxiety are common struggles for
patients. Having easy access to distraction tools
and techniques can help them manage frustration
and alleviate worry, as well as provide a means of
reconnection to the outside world.
Providing entertainment
To improve the experience of patients admitted
to hospital, we previously invested £225,000 to
implement a brand new patient entertainment system.
Launched in March 2022, the virtual platform has a
comprehensive range of information services, digitised
magazines, games, and radio and TV channels, the
platform can be accessed with any internet-enabled
device via the Trust’s free NHS Wi-Fi, also funded
by King’s College Hospital Charity. The Trust also
purchased 500 tablets to loan to patients without
a device, with volunteers on hand to help anyone
unfamiliar with the technology.
Brian, aged eighty-five, was one of the first patients
in Orpington Hospital to try out the new patient
entertainment system. He wished it had been available
throughout his long stay recovering from a spinal injury.
I’ve been in one hospital or another all this time.
I learned to accept it as part of life, it wasn’t easy
though. I was definitely bored and lonely at times. My
family visit often but it is hard when they have to go and
I’m left on my own again. I can see this in other patients
on the ward, too. It’s really tough.
Enabling remote check-in
A previous investment of £315,000 has now come to
fruition with the launch of ‘Intouch with Health at
King’s', an app that enables patients to check in for
their appointment remotely and wait somewhere
convenient, like in the car or café. The app notifies the
patient when it is time to come to the correct waiting
area. This digital check-in system reduces the time
patients spend inside hospital buildings, aiding social
distancing and helping to alleviate anxiety.
Funding play equipment
Being able to play is both familiar and reassuring for
children who are in hospital – it gives them a sense of
security and helps them feel less anxious. This year,
we invested in a range of toys and games for Rays of
Sunshine children’s ward, including the purchase of
thirteen PlayStations with controllers and games.
“Families will never forget their time in hospital,”
says ward sister Niamh Whelan. “If we can make their
experience a little less scary, we can hopefully ensure
that they will remember their stay in a positive way.”
In 2021/22 we invested £165,000 in equipment
to improve patient treatment. A grant from the
Catherine Cookson Trust enabled us to order a
new neonatal mobile incubator to transport
very ill babies from the Princess Royal University
Hospital (PRUH) to the neonatal unit at King’s.
“I enjoy reading, and have got through a lot of books
during my stay in hospital, but I would have loved to
have had better access to entertainment so I could have
watched TV or found a good film. It would have made
such a difference. I’m glad the Charity is providing this
now, because it will really help.
Brian enjoyed the patient
entertainment system on
his last day of more than
six months spent in hospital.
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