Documentary shows the strength of BAMER community

Graduate documentary shows the strength of BAMER community

Munha Taha

Giving a voice to Sheffield’s Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee communities is the aim of a documentary project supported by recent graduates from Sheffield Hallam University.

Iulia Nistor, a film and media production graduate who directed and coproduced the film said: “Making Tick Boxes was such an eyeopening experience.

“I can almost call it a ‘call to action’, as I was shamefully unaware of the social injustices that the BAMER communities have suffered for decades in the UK and beyond.

“When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, it shone a spotlight on these issues.

“Meeting the extraordinary leaders in Sheffield that have single-handedly and without any funding come together to make a change in Sheffield has truly left me speechless. I want to help amplify their voices and spread their message further.”

Dr Tom Heller, from Sheffield Community Contact Tracers, said: “The students were excellent to work with, highly skilled and professional with a willingness and drive to complete the project. Everybody has done a fantastic job.” The next episode is in development and will focus on the impact the pandemic has had on our mental health. Sheffield Community Contact ‘Making Tick Tracers was established in March Boxes was such 2020 with the initial pilot project of setting up a contact tracing an eye-opening initiative for residents of Sheffield before the Government had a experience’ national scheme in place. Since conducting this study, the group has grown and expanded its work, now providing vaccine and Covid confidence training workshops to communities across the city. From delivering food to those in isolation to helping translate Government guidance to help people overcome language barriers, the group has played a key role in supporting marginalised communities through the pandemic.

Olivier Tsemo

Queen’s Award for life-saving equipment

A Rotherham-based medical device company that helped an A&E nurse to realise the potential in her idea to administer potentially life-saving treatment has been awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation.

The award was secured by Marsden in recognition of the work the company has undertaken in developing a unique Patient Transfer Scale, which is used to provide accurate weight measurements when a patient is admitted to hospital. Launched in 2018, today the Marsden Patient Transfer Scale is used in 65% of all NHS Trusts across the UK and also sold worldwide.

The innovative product was developed when Nurse Gillian Taylor witnessed first-hand the discomfort and delays to treatment caused when medical staff attempted to weigh immobile patients using traditional hoists.

When a patient suffers a stroke or is diagnosed with sepsis it is vital for medication to be administered as quickly as possible.

However, before treatment can begin a patient must be weighed to identify the correct dosage required. It was recognised that cumbersome hoists could lead to delays in the time taken for a patient to receive treatment. Drawing on her nursing expertise, Gillian was determined to do something to try and solve the problem.

NICE Guidelines require every patient to be weighed when they are admitted to hospital and reviewed regularly during treatment. Gillian hit on hit on the idea of combining a weighing device with a patient transfer board, used when moving a patient from a trolley to a hospital bed. After developing a prototype of the invention, Marsden was approached for help in realising the potential offered by the unique product which enables accurate weight readings to be taken within a matter a seconds.

Marsden refined the design and secured the vital Class III certification, enabling the product to be sold in NHS and EU hospitals. Today, the Patient Transfer Scale can weigh patients up to 250kg (39 stone) and provides accurate readings up to 500g.

Gillian Taylor (pictured), Clinical Consultant and inventor of the Patient Transfer Scale said: “When patients are admitted to hospital, getting accurate weight measurements is vital because it determines the amount of medication needed. I first began thinking about this when I saw my young son and one of his friends playing together. Under the guidelines of the time, the medication prescribed to children was based upon formulas, determined by their age. It struck me that there was such a significant difference in the height and weight of the two children that it could potentially lead to incorrect dosages being administered and so I began thinking about ways in which patients could be weighed quickly and more effectively.

“The support I’ve received from Marsden has been incredible and I feel incredibly proud that as a result of all our collaborative efforts, the scales I imagined are now being used to help patients across the world. I feel incredibly honoured that our work has been recognised by the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation.”

Mark Holdaway, Chief Executive Officer at Marsden, said: “The invention is a genuine first for the healthcare industry and a product which will clearly help to save lives. The success the product has enjoyed is a testament to the hard work, determination and passion which has driven the development of the product. I’m thrilled that our collective work has resulted in a Queen’s Award, and we hope to ensure that even more hospitals and healthcare providers will be able to benefit from this truly unique product.”