Patient rehabilitation improved thanks to Belinda

After raising an incredible £55,000 for UHNM Charity through a sponsored swim, we were delighted to welcome Belinda Diamond to the Royal Stoke to see in person the difference her fundraising is making to our patients.

Belinda, who’s from Whitchurch in Shropshire, completed a 50k swimming challenge over a number of months to raise funds for the wards who cared for her son Fraser following a road accident last year.

Staff from the Acute Rehabilitation Trauma Unit (ARTU) were on hand to show Belinda five rehabilitation chairs they were able to purchase thanks to her swim.

Belinda said: “Coming back onto the Unit was really emotional. I knew it would be because I spent such a long time here, so being on it again was a big for me. Seeing the chairs that the fundraising went towards is a feeling that I can’t really explain. It’s so nice to make a contribution and give something back as Fraser was so beautifully looked after on ARTU and its nice to leave some sort of legacy.”

Rachel Miles, Advanced Occupational Therapist on ARTU said: “We’re very grateful to Belinda and it was lovely to see her again. The complexity of the injuries of those admitted to ARTU results in a large percentage of patients being unable to change seating positions themselves. Prior to these new chairs arriving , there was less seating equipment available and staff had to limit the time patients could use them for so they could be cleaned and readied for someone else. This was a daily occurrence and impacting on staff time and patient experience and rehabilitation.”

“These new highly adjustable chairs provide postural support, pressure care and improved patient comfort. They are able to tilt, recline offer lower limb support and adjust the seat depth and width. They are ideal for a multiple-user environment like ours as they have interchangeable accessories, for example with patients using hoists or other transfer aids.”

“From an Occupational Therapists perspective, these chairs optimise function and minimise disability. They improve musculoskeletal alignment, improve appropriate sitting positions which aids swallowing and digestion and optimises cardiac efficiency. There is also a cognitive benefit, with patients being able to see more of their surroundings.”

Funds raised by Belinda’s swim will also be used to improve patient care and experience on Ward 228 Neurosurgery and Critical Care.