Wellbeing Greenhouse Project
The Wellbeing Greenhouse Project at Bo’ness Community Hospital was awarded £3,297 as part of the NHS Charities Together Urgent Response Grants Programme (2nd Wave). The funding was used to create a greenhouse in the Garden of Bo’ness Community Hospital Ward 2 which could be used all year round for the benefit of patients, family members and NHS staff.
Patients use the Wellbeing Greenhouse to grow and look after plants, fruit and vegetables that have been grown from seed. Patients enjoy planting and potting seeds as a group activity and family members also get involved, growing their own plants and vegetables.
The greenhouse is a calming space patients can retreat to if they need some time away from the busy and noisy ward environment. Staff members also find the greenhouse a relaxing quiet space they can use at break times and to take patients to if they are displaying signs of distress.
Produce grown in the greenhouse is used by the patients, staff and family members. All surplus produce is donated to the local foodbank.
Russell Park Project
The Russell Park Project at Bellsdyke Hospital was initially awarded £2,100 as part of the NHS Charities Together Urgent Response Grants Programme (Stage 1) to create a patio area within the garden at Russell Park.
The patio area allows patients to have an outside therapeutic area where they can sit and enjoy the weather in a green space. They also have time to sit peacefully on their own which provides another option outside of their bedrooms and communal areas. Groups of patients also utilise the patio area to socialise out with the hospital environment promoting a sense of normality and preparation for moving on from hospital.
Russell Park was also awarded funding of £3,220 as part of the NHS Charities Together Urgent Response Grants Programme (2nd Wave) to further enhance the garden area at Russell Park through the creation of a sanctuary garden space and a recreational area.
The sanctuary garden includes various types of seating and a water fountain and the recreational area is a dedicated games space for use by patients and families of the Russell Park Mental Health Rehabilitation Ward.
By providing a seating area for patients and their families and a private exercise area with equipment which can be used external groups undertaking groupwork with patients, the project directly address the health inequalities faced by many people with mental health illness.
Forth Valley Income Maximisation Project
The Forth Valley Income Maximisation Project was awarded £32,600 as part of the NHS Charities Together Urgent Response Grants Programme (Stage 2) in order to offer income maximisation support to priority patient and staff groups significantly financially impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
NHS Forth Valley health visitors referred clients experiencing financial difficulties as part of the universal service pathway to income maximisation services within Falkirk Council Community Services, Stirling Council Advice Services and Clackmannanshire Citizens Advice Bureau.
These organisations then provided holistic advice to the clients ensuring that they received information and assistance on how to maximise their income through management of debts as well as benefits and grants they were entitled to but had not claimed.
The service was well received as it provided an opportunity for a review of income and outgoings, advice on debt management and an opportunity to claim previously unclaimed benefits.
A total of £189,000 of financial gains were achieved for vulnerable families throughout the Forth Valley area consisting of £97,000 in Falkirk, £56,000 in Clackmannanshire and £36,000 in Stirling.
Live Transcribe Project
The Live Transcribe Project was awarded £3,000 as part of the NHS Charities Together Urgent Response Grants Programme (Stage 1) and was introduced as a safe way for Audiology staff to communicate with patients with hearing loss and were unable to lip read due to mask wearing.
The purchase of I-pads enabled staff to pre-load hearing tests instructions and demonstrate additional technology to patients while maintaining a safe distance. It also allowed staff to use the translation feature to help those who did not have English as a first language. The equipment could also be wiped down between patients which avoided spread of germs.
Staff carried out face to face reviews through ‘Near Me consultations’ with patients who had recently been fitted with aids or for those with faulty aids with staff able to offer basic advice to patients within their own homes.
Out with the patient clinics, Audiology staff also used the Ipads to hold meetings via MS Teams as they were unable to travel between sites and social distancing was very important.
Staff members continue to use the iPads for meetings where travelling is difficult which reduces travel costs and maintains levels within the Department.
Hospital at Home Service
The Hospital at Home Service was awarded £16,731 through the NHS Charities Together Recovery & Post Pandemic Grants Programme to fund a Community Link Worker post for one year.
This project helped improve the lives of people in the Forth Valley area by offering targeted interventions leading to patients being referred for appropriate support within their own community and enabling them to reconnect in their local area. Without reconnection to community, some people are more likely to experience discharge as a potentially traumatic experience which can result in a deterioration of health and/or increased risk of rehospitalisation.
During the course of this project, the Community Link Worker provided a single point of liaison between staff, community resources, patients and carers to discover what resources the people had and what they would need to supplement that in order for them to live the best life possible. They also responded to referrals made from Practitioners, made contact with individuals and carers and carried out domiciliary visits.
Due to the success of this project, Hospital at Home secured additional funding to enable the project to continue into 2024/2025 with the intention of securing additional funds for future years.