KCHC-AR-2023 Final Signed - Flipbook - Page 14
How did we do?
Enhancing care for
patients and families
We are dedicated to supporting patients and their families at every step
of their journey with King’s. Before people set foot in the door, as well as
beyond their treatment, we aim to find ways to reduce the stress, anxiety
and isolation that can arise in hospitals.
New app takes younger patients on a
'Little Journey' of King's
Coming into hospital can be overwhelming for children,
so we are proud to have funded the licence fees for
three years for the ‘Little Journey’ app, which helps
make surgery at King’s less frightening for children.
Launched in King’s College Hospital in March 2023, the
app gives children a virtual tour of the hospital wards
and theatres. They can also meet doctor and nurse
characters, see some of the equipment that will be
used to care for them, and find out more about what to
expect on the day of their procedure.
Coming into
hospital can be
overwhelming and we
hope this app will help make
it a less frightening and more
positive experience.
Dr Asme Sheikh,
Consultant Paediatric
Anaesthetist
A lifeline for bereaved patients and staff
In October 2022, we marked the end of the King’s
College Hospital Charity Bereavement Service, run
in partnership with St Christopher’s Hospice and
supported by funding from NHS Charities Together.
Recognised for excellence in the 2021 Third Sector
Awards, this vital service provided support and solace
to children and adults who had lost a loved one at
King's during the pandemic, and to any King's staff
experiencing bereavement during this difficult time.
In two years, the service assessed 475 referrals, with
355 people going on to receive a course of therapeutic
counselling. There were 3,400 one-to-one counselling
sessions conducted by 18 qualified counsellors able
to offer information and understanding. Participants
spoke of difficulties sleeping and eating, some
struggled with their alcohol intake or reliance on
medication, and many were unable to concentrate
on daily tasks. Following counselling, the majority
experienced improvements in all these areas.
"It was lifesaving to have that safety valve – that safe
space and someone to unburden myself to. I was stuck
indoors with no one, just my memories, and thinking a lot
about having no life to live for. You saved my life because
you made me think about so many other parts of it. Even
though it was very hard, I gradually began to feel that
there was a bigger 'me'.”
- Bereavement Service user
Image (left): Our grant of £8,900 has enabled a
sensory projection system to be used to engage and
soothe young patients visiting the children outpatients
department for blood tests, appointments and
procedures.
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S U P P O R T K I N G S .O R G .U K
