18 August 2015

Specialised Medicine Department development to improve patient experience


More than £3 million is being invested by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to double the number of state of the art isolation rooms for patients with severely compromised immune systems.

17 additional isolation/side rooms are being provided as part of the specialist haematology unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital of which three will be High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtered rooms will be available from next Summer.

The specialist haematology unit is responsible for treatment of patients with illnesses such as leukaemia and myeloma from across the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Patients with these illnesses often have severely compromised immune systems both due to their underlying disease and the various treatments they require, such as chemotherapy and/or stem cell transplantation. Therefore, when a patient’s immune system is very low, a period of isolation may be required. Patients can sometimes stay in a side room for a considerable length of time.

 

The Royal Hallamshire Hospital also has one of the leading haematopoietic stem cell transplant centres in the county and houses the largest stem cell collection centre in the UK outside of London, for collecting and redistributing stem cell donations across the country.

Josh Wright, Consultant Haematologist

Patient representatives are involved in deciding the design of the rooms because their feedback will ensure patients receive the best possible experience during what is a very difficult time.

The intention is to make the siderooms feel more homely and less like a hospital room to maximise patient comfort. Differing colour boards and artwork are being considered and the intention is to have art work which allows patients to be drawn in to the image and allow some form of escapism and interest.

The investment has also been supported by Sheffield Hospitals Charity.

Josh Wright, Consultant Haematologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals said: “The treatments for various cancerous blood and bone marrow disorders continue to improve all the time. I am delighted therefore that we are investing in the physical facilities which we need to make these patients’ stay in hospital as safe and comfortable as possible.”

Listen to Josh Wright talking to BBC Radio Sheffield about this new development

MEDIA CONTACT:
Claire Judge, Communications Specialist
Tel: 0114 226 5033
Email: claire.judge@sth.nhs.uk
 



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