Staff and patients at the Isle of Wight NHS Trust have been working through the Trust’s ‘Patients with a Disability Working Group’ (PDWG) to fund and purchase a number of support aids that can be used to help improve the patient experience.
Fidget Boxes; Boom Boxes; USB Story Books; 1:1 Hearing Devices; Disability Bed Head Signs; Picture cards/visual supports and Easy Read Documents have all been provided thanks to the efforts of the working group.
The PDWG meet quarterly and manage an annual budget of £10,000 allocated by the Trust which is spent on improving, completing or contributing funds to services provided by the Trust to help with any disability issues. Any service or staff member within the Trust can bid for funding.
Vanessa Flower, Patient Experience Lead & Chair of the PDWG said:
“The group have sourced and purchased some really valuable items that we hope will help improve the experience of a person with a disability that visits the hospital. Staff have been informed that these items are available but we felt we should also let the public know so they are able to ask for them should they or a relative ever be a patient. We want to expand on the group currently so if anyone is interested in the PDWG and the work we do please get in touch.”
The PDWG are recruiting new members. If you have a disability or are a carer or family member of someone with a disability and you are interested in joining the PDWG then contact Jo Cram in the Communication, Engagement & Membership Team on 01983 822099 Ext 6184 or email [email protected].
