New animation helps patients prepare for their visit to hospital
A new short film explains what patients can expect when they visit Barts Health hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic.
The animation, created by Professor David Wald, a Professor of Cardiology at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, can be viewed on a mobile, tablet or computer.
It is available in a number of languages including Arabic, Bengali, Hindi and Turkish.
Our hospitals are adapting so that we can continue to treat patients safely while the coronavirus remains a threat to everyone’s health. As a result, our hospitals look and feel very different.
Covid-safe Care reveals the measures we have in place to keep everyone safe. This includes asking all staff and visitors to wear face masks and coverings, regular testing and treating covid and non-covid patients in different parts of our hospitals.
The animation also outlines how we’re protecting patients who need to come into hospital for planned surgery, which restarted across Barts Health from June, such as asking them to self-isolate before their operation.
Explainmyprocedure.com features short animations on a range of medical interventions such as cardiology, orthopaedic and general surgery. 
In 2019, it was recognised at the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards, where it won in the Digitising Patient Services Initiative category. Professor Wald has also won a Bevan Commission prize and been shortlisted as a BMJ Award Finalist.
In 2018, Professor Wald and his team found that less than a third of patients felt they fully understood their procedure, including the associated risks and possible alternatives, before signing their consent form.
Following a trial introducing the animations to cardiac services at Barts Health, this figure increased to 90 per cent.
The resource has since expanded to feature other procedures.
Watch the film Covid-safe Care
Barts Health team scoops prestigious Health Service Journal Award
Here for you, safe for all films about visiting our hospitals