Chief Executive
Happy New Year to you and I hope your 2025 has been a healthy one so far.
In this edition of The Pulse magazine we are highlighting one of the more innovative ways patients are now cared for. Our Virtual Ward service is led by a highly-skilled team who support appropriate patients to recover in their own homes under the watchful eye of a senior clinician or consultant. This brings a much better outcome for patients who would rather recover in the comfort of familiar surroundings – and our feedback from those using the service to date has been positive. It is also a useful way to provide additional bed capacity - particularly in the Winter time when we expect to see increased demand for unplanned inpatient care. Find out more about how the Virtual Ward works on the opposite page.
Our staff have been doing more great things in the past few months – and we have shared just some of the fabulous examples with you in this issue. On Page 6 you can read about the daredevil colleagues who abseiled down Peterborough City Hospital to raise money for the Cancer Wellbeing Centre in November and on page 13 we bring you news from our diagnostics teams who are leading the way in care and treatment. I’d like to welcome our new Research and Development Director Dr Poonam Sharma who will be driving our ambition to become a research centre. See page 14 to read about Dr Sharma and her plans.
On pages 11 and 12 we bring you updates on the exciting redevelopment works happening at our hospital sites in Stamford and Hinchingbrooke. This year we will be opening the new Day Treatment Unit at Stamford and Rutland Hospital to ensure more patients can receive day case procedures there. This will boost our work to reduce waiting lists and ensure more patients can be cared for closer to home.
Finally, why not become a member of North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust? This ensures you will receive regular updates on the latest key activities across your local hospitals, and means you can take part in patient surveys and events and share your views on plans for new services, for example. Interested? Take a look at page 16 for details on how to sign up for free.
Hannah Coffey Chief Executive Officer
The Pulse magazine is compiled by the Communications Team at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. If you have any comments, or would like to make a suggestion about a subject you would like to read about in our magazine, please call the Communications Team on 01733 678024 or email: nwangliaft.communications@nhs.net
Staff garden starts to take shape
Take a look at how we celebrated the festive season
Staff receive recognition from the Society and College of Radiographers
Welcome our new Research and Development Director
Say hello to our new lead governor
WINTER WELLNESS: HELPING YOU
A SERVICE IN FOCUS: VIRTUAL WARD Stay Well this Winter
The importance of our virtual ward cannot be underestimated, especially throughout winter when heightened pressure is placed on services within our hospitals. The virtual ward helps to relieve some of that pressure, by supporting patients to get hospital-level care within the comfort of their own home, helping to speed up their recovery while also freeing up hospital beds for patients that need them most.
Our virtual ward admitted its first patient back in December 2022 and has since, whilst working in collaboration with the Greater Peterborough Network, have supported over 3,000 patients receive medical care in the comfort of their own homes. These patients were referred onto the virtual ward from wards and departments across our hospital sites.
Hannah Woods, Lead Nurse for virtual ward, explains how her team is working tirelessly to provide eligible patients with the opportunity to access her service: “For me, the priority of our virtual ward is to ensure the safety of our patients whilst we provide them with the opportunity to receive their medical care within the comfort of their own home.
“The job for my team is to support our wards and departments to admit eligible patients onto our virtual ward service. There are so many benefits for patients who are medically appropriate to be monitored and regularly contacted by one of nurses in the comfort of their home, rather than in a hospital bed. Our virtual ward is able to provide the safety and security of professional clinical care, provided within a familiar and safe setting for the patient.
“Our team who look after our patients remotely include a range of expertise including nurses who link directly with consultants and specialist clinics from across our hospitals. Patients are supported seven days a week, and the team work hard to ensure that patients get the best care, in the best place for them. If any of our patients have any concerns, or just need some reassurance, we are always available to speak to them on the phone.”
Moving forward the importance of our virtual ward will only increase, as we aim to continue providing the most appropriate and safe care to our patients.
With winter in full swing, here’s a timely reminder how to care for ourselves and our nearest and dearest during the colder weather. With our Emergency Department facing its own winter pressures, here are some tips to staying well this winter and choosing the most appropriate healthcare setting:
• Book your COVID-19 booster and flu jabs if you are invited
• Take care in icy conditions outside and only make essential journeys in bad weather
• Wrap up well and wear warm appropriate clothing instead of cranking up the heating when at home
• Take stock of your medicine cabinets and stock up on appropriate over-thecounter medications like painkillers for the winter season
• Stay hydrated - remember to drink water regularly and have hot drinks to help keep you warm
• Staying active can help physical and mental wellbeing. Anything from an intense workout or brisk walk with friends can be beneficial
• Check in on loved ones or elderly neighbours - a quick visit and a cup of tea can do wonders for someone’s health and wellbeing
• Think 111 – if you need urgent or emergency help can use 111 online at 111.nhs.uk or call 111 to be directed to the most appropriate service. This could be a GP, Walk-In Centre, pharmacy or A&E. For genuine, lifethreatening emergencies such as loss of consciousness, fits, chest pain, breathing difficulties, major trauma or feelings of self-harm or suicide call 999 or go to ED
KNITTED POST BOX TOPPERS - WOOL LOVE IT
Friendships have been formed during hours of intricate work involving yards of wool over the past year at the Trust’s Knit & Natter Group!
Key calendar dates and milestones (including the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Remembrance Day and Christmas) have been captured in glorious technicolour in the form of post box toppers –proudly displayed in the main atrium of Peterborough City Hospital.
The Knit & Natter Group, formed of staff and hospital volunteers, meets in the PCH and Hinchingbrooke Hospital (Huntingdon) restaurants each Tuesday from noon until 2pm.
Tree Planting at Peterborough City Hospital
Staff and their families have planted 25 trees at Peterborough City Hospital, as part of a sustainability initiative to enhance the hospital’s green spaces while addressing the growing concerns around climate change.
Our Ophthalmology Department is doing its part to support sustainability and came up with an idea that involved planting some trees on our Peterborough site which led to project “Eye Patch,” an apt name having been designed by our Ophthalmology colleagues.
Mr Pammal T Ashwin, Ophthalmology Consultant said: “As an eye department, we know that climate change is known to exacerbate a range of health issues, including eye conditions caused by increased exposure to pollutants and UV radiation. This is one of many reasons that the NHS has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.The trees used in the planting were kindly supplied by NHS Forest.”
HOSPITAL STAFF GARDEN REVAMP GATHERS PACE
We are delighted to see our staff already reaping the benefits of the new-look reflection garden at Peterborough City Hospital, even in the sometimes-drab winter weather.
Some landscaping and planting have already been completed as part of the £40,000 transformation, with work being funded by the North West Anglia Hospitals’ Charity.
Specially designed all-weather Pods - perfect for lunchtime get-togethers, breaks or informal meetings – were installed a few weeks ago, and there are more creative surprises in store as the project progresses.
Creative planting schemes, innovative seating and meeting spaces - along with a stunning focal point designed to remember Trust colleagues who have passed awaywill transform the area.
The project has been carefully designed by Jennie Grainger – Lead Volunteer Gardener at the Trusts’ Peterborough Cancer Wellbeing Service - as part of the Hospitals’ Charity commitment to the wellbeing and positive mental health of staff and bring it in line with staff gardens at Hinchingbrooke and Stamford & Rutland hospitals.
The work will bring the Peterborough staff garden in line with those currently completed at Stamford & Rutland Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon.
Peterborough City Hospital also has an outdoor seating area for use by patients and visitors, located at the end of the main Atrium near the pharmacy.
The public seating areas was given a facelift last summer, thanks to charity funding to provide colourful parasols and picnic tables which have been widely used.
Hospital Giving Tree appeal donates a record amount of gifts at Christmas
Local families in need were able to celebrate Christmas thanks to a record number of gifts donated to the Giving Tree Appeal, which was supported by North West Anglia Hospitals’ Charity.
Members of the community and staff at the Trust joined forces bringing festive joy to underprivileged children by donating gifts. It’s estimated over 6,000 presents were given out, supporting around 1,000 children in our local communities.
Natalie Styles–Hudson, Site Senior Manager, who runs The Giving Tree appeal, said: “Christmas 2024 has been the most successful since I set the appeal back in 2016. I am astounded by the generosity and the support and would like to thank our Hospitals’ Charity for their help. Lots of children, including those of some of our staff members benefitted this year. Thank you to everyone who has been so kind.”
Presents donated by patients, staff and local businesses were given to families experiencing domestic abuse, plus refuges, schools, families living in temporary accommodation, youth hostels and those living in extreme poverty.
The local Amazon distribution Centre also donated an amazing £10,000 worth of children’s gifts, allowing the project to support hundreds more children this festive season.
Philip Fearn, Charitable Projects Manager for the Trust added: “I would like to thank Natalie and all those who helped, alongside their normal jobs, none of us can underestimate the difference that everyone’s efforts have made to so many families this Christmas.”
DAREDEVIL HOSPITAL STAFF TOOK THE PLUNGE TO BOOST CANCER SUPPORT
Intrepid hospital staff took the plunge to boost coffers for our Cancer Wellbeing Service when they dared to descend the Peterborough City Hospital building!
Colleagues and their supporters – watched on by eager spectators - took part in the fundraising abseil organised by the North West Anglia Hospitals’ Charity which raised over £39,500 for the service.
There was huge excitement over the twoday event, which was further boosted by a guest appearance from Charity Patron and BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood.
The fab-u-lous Craig dropped in to officially start the descent and cheer on fundraisers as well as taking a tour of the Cancer Wellbeing Centre to meet staff.
NHS daredevils supporting the stunt included Chief Executive Hannah Coffey and Chief Nurse Jo Bennis who were among the first abseilers to take the plunge down the side of the fourstorey building.
Hannah said: “We were thrilled that our Charity Patron could join us for this
exciting event which is for a very worthy cause. Our Cancer Wellbeing Service has had such a positive impact on the lives of many people living with the disease and so it was extra special that the team, and some of our patients, could meet him.
“I am incredibly proud of the efforts of our staff to fundraise in such a daring way to enhance the cancer support provided for patients. It is fantastic that our local businesses and communities have joined us, too.”
MEN’S HEALTH UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT AT HOSPITAL MALE STAFF-ONLY EVENT
Prostate health, bowel screening, weight management, alcohol reduction and smoking cessation were some of the many topics under the spotlight at the Men’s Health Fair for male colleagues.
A first event of its kind for the Trust, almost 100 men – along with male family members and friends – attended the informal event in a relaxed community setting in Sawtry to benefit from a wealth of health and wellbeing advice from the experts.
Organisers of the event were also able to secure the Health Outreach Bus (thanks to the Peterborough Light Project), where Trust Macmillan Consultant Urological Surgeon,
Miss Jyoti Shah MBE, and her team delivered a packed programme of free prostate health checks on male staff who had booked an appointment, as well as drop-in appointments on the day.
Local businesses TR Scaffolding and Vogal Group and Ck4 Construction supported the fair through generous sponsorship, which allowed visitors to take away a fantastic goodie bag – as well as enjoying some complimentary self-care thanks to barber Matt Rodwell.
The Fair was spearheaded by the Trust’s Men’s Staff Network.
STAMFORD’S NEW DAY TREATMENT UNIT ON COURSE FOR SUMMER 2025 OPENING
Stamford’s new state-of-the-art Day Treatment Unit is on course to treat its first patients as early as this summer – as the exciting facility continues to take shape.
More images from inside the unit – which is being built on the site of the former nurse’s accommodation block adjacent to the main hospital – show progress in developing the new patient bays, staff areas and procedure and consultation rooms.
These exciting proposals will further enhance patient care for the local communityproviding day case procedures in three specially equipped rooms, three standardsized cabin-style changing rooms with ensuite facilities, plus six recovery bays.
Lead contractor, Darwin Group invited a group of senior Trust staff to see how the Day Treatment Unit (which will replace the current Greenwood Day Treatment Unit) is taking shape. It is expected that the facility will be completed and handed over to the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust – and
ready to accept its first patients – by summer 2025.
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust Chief Finance Officer, Joel Harrison, said: “Having the chance to look around the project and speak to the contractors and those involved in with the planning really does help to bring the vision of this amazing facility to life.
“Seeing the space and modern feel to the building gives a sense of excitement to what we as a Trust are providing for future generations.
“Once completed, this state-of-the-art unit will further enhance our healthcare offering not only to the people in and around Stamford, but to other patients within the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust catchment area.”
Insight Days provide students with an insight into the operations and activities occurring behind the scenes
Students from our local schools and colleges attended insight days at Hinchingbrooke and Peterborough City hospitals to get a glimpse behind the scenes and gain a greater understanding of the different careers and routes available to them.
Since October 2024, 77 students, who have been studying Health and Social Care
and want to progress into a health-related career, have visited us.
The following staff groups were featured during the Insight Days:
• Estates and Facilities
• Healthcare Science
• Nursing and Midwifery
• Allied Health Professionals
Further insight days will also be held throughout 2025 for students to experience different aspects of our hospitals.
NEW HOSPITAL PROJECT TEAM HOLD ENGAGEMENT EVENTS
The Project Team working on the new Hinchingbrooke Hospital has been speaking to staff, residents, patients, councillors and local MP, Ben ObeseJecty, as part of the next step in the redevelopment works.
As part of the planning preparations the Project Team arranged engagement sessions for the Pre-Planning Application stage of the process. These sessions were held face-toface, online and in the Huntingdon Town Hall, over a two-week period, to give as many people as possible the opportunity to see the model hospital, design plans and ask our team of experts’ questions.
Luke de Lord, Programme Director for the Hinchingbrooke redevelopment, said: “These engagement sessions were really well received and we had some great feedback from staff and members of the public. Some of the discussions were around traffic management and car parking, which we are
keen to address and improve as much as possible. We have several options that we are working through and we are hopeful that we will have some more details in the summer.”
Further engagement events will be held in 2025, but if you would like to find out more please go to our website or contact us at nwangliaft.trustprojects@nhs.net
Hinchingbrooke receives New Hospital funding for innovation
Staff at Hinchingbrooke recently secured funding to launch a new app, called MediShout, which will reduce inefficiencies by locating and identifying medical equipment that needs upgrading across the site.
The Trust was one of 13 NHS organisations across the country to be awarded the
funding from the New Hospital Programme as part of its future development.
John Boulter, Clinical Engineering Specialist, said: “Locating, upgrading and maintaining medical equipment is vital to ensure our clinical teams have what they need to provide great care for our patients. By piloting this app it will reduce the
paperwork process, identify equipment immediately and be able to get items across to our clinical teams much more quickly. We are looking to begin staff training in January and piloting the app over a 12-month period. If it is successful we will implement these changes at Peterborough City and Stamford hospitals.”
CT COLONOGRAPHY TEAM RECEIVES FANTASTIC RECOGNITION
In 2024, our CT Colonography team performed and reported 2554 CT Colonography studies. The team also perform and report a variety of other examinations in different modalities such as fluoroscopy and CT within their different individual scopes of practice. The team has been at the forefront of advanced practice in radiography since the CT Colonography technique became common practice in the early 2000’s. They were amongst the first radiographers to report CT Colonography studies in the UK. The team has since been instrumental in developing post-graduate qualifications in CT Colonography with the University of Suffolk and became one of the first centres of excellence with the national CT
colonography academy, providing high quality training to radiographers from all over the UK. Most members of the team also teach radiographers at post-graduate and under-graduate level at various universities either as part of their role within NWAngliaFT or independently.
Over the course of 2024, the primary aim has been to improve waiting times for CT Colonography studies within the Trust in line with the NHS Faster Diagnostic Standard. Its performance has earned recognition from the Society and College of Radiographers, receiving Eastern Region Team of the Year for 2024 at the London Radiographer of the Year Awards in November 2024.
Radiology patients to benefit from new cutting-edge technology
New state of the art technology has been installed in the Interventional Radiology (IR) Suite at Peterborough City Hospital, helping to enhance the care provided to our patients.
Thanks to this new technology, procedures will be quicker and less invasive for those receiving treatment through the service.
Charlotte Macianskis, Interventional Section Head at Peterborough City Hospital, said: “The team undertakes a range of procedures in theatre, such as biopsies, nephrostomies (aiding in draining of the kidney), angioplasties (unblocking of narrowed blood vessels) and many more important and urgent procedures that require the assistance of technology.
“For example, during an angioplasty the Radiologist will give the patient X-ray contrast dye into their blood vessels, and the imaging kit will use X-rays to produce images of the arteries and vessels within the body. The kit can then use specialist functions to create roadmaps of the blood vessels to aid in the patient’s treatment. This aids in the patient’s procedure by identifying small and complex vessels and guiding the Radiologist, thus reducing the patient’s procedure time.”
Most procedures can be performed under local anaesthetic or sedation with only a very few complex cases requiring a general anaesthetic.
This new technology is one of the first of its kind to be installed in the UK and is highly praised for its performance in both image quality and low procedural dose.
NEW RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR APPOINTED
Congratulations to Dr Poonam Sharma who has been appointed as the new Research and Development Director at the Trust.
Dr Sharma started with us as a consultant rheumatologist back in May 2015 when there was very little research activity happening due to various reasons and it’s great news she can bring all that experience into this new role.
“We are now participating in Phase 2, Phase 3 and Phase 4 commercial trials. We are also
recruiting to observational studies and in 2022 we were the third highest recruiting trust for MSK research in our region and in 2023, we were the highest recruiting Trust for MSK research in the region. I have also worked as MSK Speciality Lead for CRN Eastern for three years until September 2024 and gained valuable insights in working with the network and transition to RDN.
“I would like to further develop ongoing research in our Trust and to build on our strengths to make the Trust an excellent
research centre. I will support my colleagues to develop home grown studies and secure grants to address the health needs of our population. I feel passionately about making research more inclusive and to target the whole population including non-English speaking patients and patients from ethnic minorities to be recruited to research studies. I would like to see increased participation of Nursing and AHP colleagues as PIs and Sub PIs on trials to encourage research for all health care professionals.”
Help shape research studies and share your voice
Have you been a patient or perhaps you are a family member, parent or carer of a patient?
We are currently looking for patients and carers to share their insight and healthcare experience with researchers
developing research studies at our local hospitals. You might join a focus group to discuss a study or review documents from a patient point of view. Your experience would be used to help shape, prioritise, design and deliver the research studies from a patient perspective.
If you would like to help research and healthcare staff understand more about the experiences of those who take part in research then please contact the Research & Development department by calling 01480 847511 or email nwangliaft.rddepartment@ nhs.net to find out more.
INTRODUCING MARTHA’S RULE: CALL FOR CONCERN
For many, going into hospital can be an anxious time - but the Trust has joined a new national patient safety initiative to give extra support to them and their families.
Called Martha’s Rule, the Trust is among the first 143 hospitals in England to implement the initiative as part of the first phase of the programme.
Martha’s Rule: Call For Concern allows inpatients and their loved ones to ask for a rapid review if they are worried their own/
the patient’s condition is getting worse. It gives patients and families access to an urgent review from our Critical Care Outreach Team - highly experienced clinical staff who specialise in the care of very unwell patients, and patients recovering from critical illness.
On receiving a call, the Critical Care Outreach Team will assess the situation upon taking further details and then be in contact following the review.
Martha’s Rule followed the case of Martha Mills, who passed away in 2021 after developing Sepsis while being treated at Kings College Hospital, London following campaigning from Martha’s parents.
There had been a failure to promptly escalate Martha to intensive care and had her family’s concerns about her deteriorating condition been addressed sooner, Martha would likely have survived.
To read more about this initiative you can visit our website and search Martha’s Rule.
Eye patients to benefit from fast-track initiative
As we get older, for many of us – our eye sight begins to deteriorate.
Age Related Macular Degeneration is the primary cause of sight loss in the UK, but the Trust is helping to fasttrack patients through a collaborative initiative between the community and its Ophthalmic colleagues.
In line with guidelines outlined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, a rapid access service is now up and running.
This allows direct referrals to be sent from optometrists who have received a referral form for suspected wet AMD through a dedicated mailbox at the hospital.
These are then tracked through virtual assessments, and if the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment for the patient is arranged.
The new pathway allows for optometrists to directly access hospital eye service avoiding delays in the referral process, ensuring a single point of access for all patients.
Patients are often contacted within 48 hours of the referral with an appointment to attend for imaging.
The dedicated pathway ensures that patients are assessed by retinal specialists who will make a decision about their treatment.
Mr Ashwin, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon for the Trust said: “The pathway aligns with the Trust’s vision of working together to provide an outstanding service to our local communities. We can achieve this by working in collaboration with our optometry colleagues in primary care to provide local care to local people in a timely manner.”
Fresh new look
We are currently looking at refreshing our Pulse magazine which means this edition will be our last while we work on bringing you a fresh new look and feel and look forward to sharing our new edition with you later this year. We are also looking at different ways to communicate with our valued members and how to keep them up to date with what’s happening across the Trust.
If you have any suggestions for content you would like to see in Pulse moving forward or for any of our 2025 members meetings then please contact us at nwangliaft.membership@nhs.net with your ideas.
Are you interested in helping shape Patient Safety in our hospitals?
Here within the Trust we are committed to offering safe services and we are after volunteers to help develop and improve safety and care within our hospitals, recognising that it is important for everybody to have a greater expectation that they will be involved in their care and ensuring it is safe.
As a result, we have developed a new and exciting Patient Safety Partner role that is open to members of the public to work as a voluntary advisor to help us deliver safe healthcare across our organisation.
To apply for the position, a full role description and application form are available on our website: Patient Safety Partners | NW Anglia Website.
TRUST WELCOMES NEW LEAD GOVERNOR
Andrew Sneden OBE takes up the role of Lead Governor for North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust later this month. He will lead the Trust’s Council of Governors in their duties to represent Trust members, patients and residents in the communities served by the Trust’s hospitals in Peterborough, Huntingdon and Stamford.
Andrew takes over from The Reverend Kevin Burdett, who stepped down from the Lead Governor role in 15 December 2024, having served six years as a Huntingdon constituency representative.
Andrew, who was born and bred in Peterborough, retired from a career in the Ministry of Defence in 2023 and became a Governor at our Trust in November 2022. He has a Post Graduate Degree in Project Management and has many years’ experience in managing a range of worldwide Government programmes and change management initiatives.
Professor Steve Barnett, Chair of North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am delighted to welcome Andrew to the Lead Governor role, and look forward to the insight and drive he will bring to ensure our Governors continue to play an important role in the running of our hospitals. We will welcome him formally at the first Council of Governors meeting to be held in public on Tuesday 18 February at Peterborough City Hospital.
“I must thank Kevin for his fantastic support to me and the Council of Governors over the last six years. We wish him all the best for the future.”
Join the Trust as a member
As an NHS Foundation Trust, we have governors and members, who all have a say in how we run our three hospitals. Membership is free and open to all patients and visitors. If you are at least 16 years old and live within our membership area of Greater Peterborough, Huntingdonshire or Stamford and South Lincolnshire, you can help us improve and develop our services by joining us.
Just go to https://secure.membra.co.uk/Join/
Peterborough to complete our secure online application form and make sure you fill in all the tabs that you can. Having your email address, for example, will mean that we can contact you on a more regular basis about membership meetings and other things that are going on in the Trust that you may want to get involved in.
If you are already a member, have you checked that the information we hold about you is up to date? You can do this yourself by logging into the same link
Members of the public are invited to attend the Trust’s Council of Governors meetings. The next meeting takes place at 1.30pm in the Denis Bracey Suite in the Learning Centre at Peterborough City Hospital on Tuesday 18 February 2025.
above. You can update your email address, or your home address, you can also tell us how you would prefer to receive your copy of Pulse magazine – by email or post.
We have membership meetings throughout the year, which have interesting guests talking about different subjects to do with your health and our services. Tell us what you want to hear about so that we can involve your suggestions in our 2024 meetings. Contact us at nwangliaft. membership@nhs.net with your ideas.
Can’t go to Specsavers? They’ll come to you
We caught up with Kejal Shah who has been an Optometrist with Specsavers Home Visits for 8 years. She explains to us how this much-needed service works.
So, tell me more about the Home Visits service…
Our at-home eye test is very similar to what you would have experienced in-store, just with a few adjustments and specialist equipment to make it home-friendly.
Optometrists, like myself, carry out the eye test, adjusting it to your individual needs. If glasses are needed, experienced colleagues will help with frame selection and then return to fit them. And, it goes without saying, all customers are supported with ongoing aftercare.
In response to demand, we’ve also now launched a new audiology home visits service. So far, we have home hearing services in 16 locations in the UK, with plans to expand this over the coming months.
Who is able to benefit from a home eye test?
Put simply, it’s about bringing the service to your door, if you can’t get to one of our stores. So if you, a friend, or loved one, are unable to leave your home or care home unaccompanied, due to a physical or mental illness or disability, we can come to you.
There are a wide range of conditions and reasons why someone might not be able to leave their home. You can speak to us about your situation and we can help you understand if you or your loved one qualifies. What if someone is bedbound, or struggling with communication? Can you still help them?
The Home Visits service is designed to provide eyecare which is as individual as our customers are.
Some customers might be clinically vulnerable or they might be non-verbal or living with dementia. Depending on the situation, we might use pictures instead of letters for example. Even with a customer who is bedbound, we can change the position of the chart so we’re still getting completely accurate results. All the tests are adapted to fit the customer’s environment and comfort level. We can also speak to the customer or their loved one ahead of the visit, to address any questions or talk through the process.
Given that you provide such a personal and tailored service, does your care go beyond just an eye test?
Every colleague I know sees our services as something beyond just a job. Whether it’s sharing stories over a cuppa, popping something in the post for them, or passing them something out of reach, going that extra mile is such a rewarding part of our role. I only need to see a customer’s smile to know I’ve made a difference.
That’s a big part of what we do. Provide a personal service, tailored care and expertise, right to people’s homes, no matter what their situation – in homes, care homes or sheltered housing.
How do I find out whether someone is eligible?
You can head to our website at www.specsavers.co.uk/home-visits which features a simple step-by-step guide to eligibility and a wealth of information. Alternatively, you can call 0800 0890144
North West Anglia Health
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