Our hospitals are some of the best in the country and they are right here on our doorstep. Caring for more than 1.75 million patients every year by 28,000 dedicated NHS staff, your hospitals are there when it matters most.
We're committed to helping your hospitals go that extra mile for you and everyone who means the world to you.
The Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) is a teaching hospital with close links to Bristol University and provides general and acute medicine and surgery, critical care, trauma and orthopaedic care and emergency treatment. It is also the centre for cardiothoracic services for the South West and for cystic fibrosis care in the Severn area.
The BRI's Welcome Centre opened in December 2013, providing a range of new facilities for patients, visitors and staff at the hospital including cafes, shops, a pharmacy.
Our £6m Golden Gift Appeal supported the creation of the new ward block in the BRI. The focus of the improvements was on caring for older patients, including end of life care, and on younger patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).
In 2023, your support transformed the Sanctuary Garden in the BRI to make it accessible for all patients. We've built wheelchair-accessible troughs, added a waterproof shed to house the tools, and purchased lots of compost, plants and seeds.
The gardens offer a space for older patients to engage in meaningful activities, away from the ward, which will improve their mood, increase their mobility and nurture relationships between patients, family members and hospital staff. This will ultimately lead to quicker and safer discharges from the ward.
We've partnered with a local organisation, Alive Activitiesto offer dementia-friendly gardening and craft sessions for patients and their loved ones. Every week patients from the older care wards in the Bristol Royal Infirmary have the opportunity to take part in this fantastic project for some horticulture therapy in the gardens.
Following the success of the gardening activities in Bristol, in Autumn 2024, working with the BFT dementia/delirium falls team and Alive Activities, this initiative has been rolled out in the Rainbow Garden at Weston General Hospital. We also have ambitions to refurbish the Rainbow Garden to ensure this green space is appropriate for the sessions and accessible for patients, to include wheelchair accessible raised troughs, accessible tables and chairs for activities, as well as a shed, tools and resources such as compost, plants and adaptive tools.
The transformation of the Sanctuary Garden has got patients moving and talking more than they ever thought they could. In fact, a small team of physiotherapists were amazed to see patient Patricia walk around the garden after weeks of struggling to leave her bed. Another patient, Shirley, has communication difficulties, but after a few sessions was reminiscing about special memories in her grandad’s garden.
With your ongoing support, we can strive to make sure patients have the best possible experience during a stay in hospital just like the dementia garden has had on so many. Donations ensure we can go the extra mile for you and everyone who means the world to you.
With your ongoing support, we can strive to make sure patients have the best possible experience during a stay in hospital just like the dementia garden has had on so many. Donations ensure we can go the extra mile for you and everyone who means the world to you.
Ella we thanks you for a most informative presentation and wish the Trust further successesin the future