Shrewsbury and Telford Hopsital NHS Trust Wins National Award

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A prestigious award recognising excellence in the provision of palliative care has been presented to a team from The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).

Representatives from the Trust received the Dundas Medal at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), jointly awarded by the College and PATCH (Palliation and The Caring Hospital), on Friday 7 February.

The team was chosen for its innovative and sensitive approach to the ‘nil by mouth’ instruction for patients at the end of life. Inspired by End of Life Care volunteer, Jules Lock, the team launched a scheme entitled ‘Taste for Pleasure’, enabling staff to use a patient’s favourite flavours – from blackcurrant and tea to prosecco and whisky – to dab onto their lips, providing moisture.

A multi-disciplinary team including End of Life Care, dental hygiene specialists and speech and language therapists developed new bedside signage and a standard operating procedure along with training to ensure staff and families feel supported and safe to offer Taste for Pleasure to patients.

The scheme has been hugely popular, receiving immensely positive feedback from families and enquiries from around the globe from healthcare professionals looking to replicate the initiative.

The award was presented by Professor Michael Griffin, President of the RCSEd, to Jules Lock, Jules Lewis and Claire Saxby from SaTH, which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

Professor Griffin said: “We at the College fully support the aims of PATCH, so it is an honour to award the Dundas Medal each year. I’d like to congratulate the fantastic team from The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

“The Taste for Pleasure scheme is remarkable, not only as it’s a wonderful idea which helps to support patients and their families at the most difficult time, but because it represents a truly collaborative approach by several teams, all pulling together to put patients first.”

Jules Lewis, End of Life Care Facilitator/Lead Nurse at SaTH, said: “We are so proud and honoured to receive this award which is for all the patients and families that we have supported, and all the staff at SaTH who have embraced this work.

“We would like to thank both PATCH and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh for this recognition of Taste for Pleasure. In end of life care, we only have one chance to get it right and make a difference for our patients and their families at the hardest of times.

“It was an absolute privilege to attend the ceremony and it is something that Jules, Claire and I will never forget.”

The Dundas Medal, in commemoration of Dr Charles Robert Dundas, is awarded for efforts to improve the provision of palliative care for patients when they are in hospital. Following the death of Dr Dundas in 2014, his widow, Dr Valerie Dundas, made a donation to PATCH to improve the provision of palliative care in hospital.

Kate Forster, Director of PATCH, said: “The Shrewsbury and Telford application resonated with me hugely. On a personal level this is something I would have changed if I could for my mum. Watching her eat and drink nothing was awful. The Shrewsbury team showed innovation, humanity and constant care right to the very end – and that is what PATCH is about.”

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About The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

RCSEd was first incorporated as the Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1505, and is the oldest surgical corporation in the world with memberships approaching 25,000 professionals in over 100 countries worldwide. The College promotes the highest standards of surgical and dental practice through its interest in education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical and dental workforce. It is also home to the UK’s only Faculty of Surgical Trainers, open to all those with an interest in surgical training regardless of College affiliation. Find RCSEd on Twitter www.twitter.com/RCSEd and on Facebook www.facebook.com/rcsed

The College is based at Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DW and can be reached on (0)131 527 1600 or mail@rcsed.ac.uk. In March 2014, a new base opened in Birmingham, catering to the 80% of the College’s UK membership who are based in England and Wales.

For all media enquiries please contact the Communications Team on +447467 485145 or email comms@rcsed.ac.uk 

 

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