Southampton Hospital Charity has recently received a generous donation of £2,000 from the Barker-Mill Foundation (BMF), enabling the charity to purchase a ‘Sara Stedy’ for University Hospital Southampton’s General Intensive Care Unit (GICU). Sara Stedy is a mobile standing aid that provides independence for patients during their recovery journey
Southampton Hospital Charity helps to enhance the care and treatment of patients at University Hospital Southampton, working with their partners to raise funds and provide financial support to areas of the hospital service that lie beyond the scope of NHS funding.
The GICU at University Hospital Southampton looks after people who are seriously ill, normally caring for patients who have just been operated on or people who have been admitted as emergency cases. The unit prides itself on its highly trained multi-disciplinary team.
The Sara Stedy is a well-established enhanced standing aid concept, especially popular in intensive care units as it offers a more suitable and dignified alternative to a wheelchair for more mobile patients. The device can support a wide range of other everyday tasks such as lifting patients, giving users and caregivers enhanced comfort and offering the independence patients need.
Tim Jobling, Trustee at the Barker-Mill Foundation said “We are pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to University Hospital Southampton’s General Intensive Care Unit and we are honoured to support the improvement of rehabilitation equipment for the patients at the hospital.
“Knowing the donation assisted with the purchase of a mobile standing aid that has already allowed a previously debilitated patient to walk for the first time makes us incredibly proud of the work the hospital does for the Hampshire community.”
To recognise the donation from BMF the hospital has commissioned a plaque to be placed on the equipment, honouring the Barker-Mill Foundation donation that made purchase of the Sara Stedy possible. Southampton Hospital Charity relies on support such as that from BMF, and the contribution has assisted in delivering improved care to hospital patients.
Karen Hill, Acuity Practice Development Matron at Southampton Hospital Charity explains: “Our patient was over the moon that the Sara Steady enabled them to stand and gain some independence after a serious illness. It gave him/her the support to move around. We’re confident their rehabilitation will go from strength to strength as a result of this device.
“The generous donation from BMF enabled us to purchase the Sara Stedy for our General Intensive Care Unit. Equipment such as this makes life so much easier for our patients and carers; the device allows patients who wish to be more mobile achieve this goal comfortably, safely and with dignity which is fantastic. BMF’s donation has already helped not only one patient’s recovery but many more to come in the future.”
For further information on Southampton Hospital Charity please visit their website at http://www.southamptonhospitalcharity.org/make-a-donation , and to apply for funding from the Barker-Mill Foundation please visit https://barkermillfoundation.com/apply/.