Sarah Murphy MS Visits Ysbyty'r Seren
Local MS Sees the Power of Patient Wellbeing at Ysbyty’r Seren
We were delighted to welcome Sarah Murphy MS to Ysbyty'r Seren in Bridgend. Sarah was there to see the work being done by our Activity Co-ordinators, Donna Bissmire and Eira Morgan. Our Chief Executive Rachel Rowlands was on hand to welcome Sarah, alongside Kelly Downes, Head of Nursing and Darrell Clarke Interim Clinical Service Group Manager for Primary and Community Care.
Ysbyty'r Seren is a 400-bed field hospital, located at the site of the old Harman Becker unit in Bridgend, it was rapidly established at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic to provide extra bed capacity to help take pressure off local hospitals. The field hospital has now been repurposed to provide facilities for a number of non-Covid related medical services.
Our Activity Co-ordinators play a key role at the hospital. They work alongside hospital staff to help improve patient experience, wellbeing, and happiness. At Ysbyty'r Seren, Donna and Eira make positive use technology to help patients stay in touch with friends and relatives, as well as providing entertainment in the form of audio books and online quizzes.
During a tour of the hospital, Sarah Murphy was able to see how Donna and Eira provide daily therapeutic activities such as arts and craft, which are so enjoyed by patients. The walls of the ward are proudly decorated with the results of these activities.
Sarah Murphy MS said: “The services that Age Connects provide are absolutely vital – and constituents regularly get in touch with me to praise their important work. The team at Age Connects go above and beyond every day, never more so than during the pandemic.
“I am so grateful for their work, and I know that the whole community is too.”
Our Activity Co-ordinators also assist staff in discharge planning to ensure the patient is prepared for safe discharge and receive support to reduce the risk of readmission. Funding for this vital work comes from the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Regional Partnership Board (RPB) through their Winter Protection Plan.
Councillor Chris Davies, Chair of the RPB, explained, “Our regional Winter Protection Plan set out to ensure services were designed around the individual, so people receive care based on their unique needs and what matters to them. The work undertaken at Ysbyty’r Seren since the beginning of the pandemic has been excellent, with patient needs truly at the heart of every decision.”
Reflecting on Sarah’s visit Rachel commented “It was a real pleasure to meet Sarah and introduce her to the work of our Activity Co-ordinators and the wider work of Age Connects Morgannwg. We are really grateful to Sarah for her support throughout the pandemic in organising donations of essential items for older people in hospital – including the donation of toiletries she brought to her visit to Ysbyty’r Seren. It’s important the charity maintains open and positive relations with our local and national elected members so they can refer their constituents to appropriate support when they need it.”
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