Patients on the neurological ward at the Royal Preston Hospital being treated for conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Motor Neurone Disease – all conditions that can restrict movement – are now being given “soft buzzers”, paid for by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity (LTHC), so they no longer struggle to call for help.
LTHC has spent £1,623.60 on the new soft touch call bells, which staff on the ward say will have a “massive impact” on patient experience.
Ros Collins, LTHC administrator, explained: “It can be difficult for some of the ward’s patients to call for help using a conventional call bell because they can’t reach it or they don’t have the strength or co-ordination to press it without a real struggle or even at all.
“The new soft touch buzzers are really squishy, much larger and because they are soft, can just be placed on the patient’s lap or to the side of the patient and won’t cause any heaviness or discomfort. They are a simple solution to what can be a big problem. For patients who need them, they will make a really positive difference to their hospital stay. Ward staff, who asked us to the buy buzzers as they fall outside of what the NHS is able to fund, believe they’ll have a massive impact.”