New phone line at St Bartholomew’s helps families stay connected during the coronavirus pandemic
A new telephone service has been set up by redeployed staff at St Bartholomew’s Hospital to keep families up to date on their loves one’s condition and to take the pressure off critical care staff on the coronavirus frontline.
The Covid enquiry hub is a single point of contact for close contacts of patients with Covid-19 being cared for in the hospital’s intensive treatment unit (ITU).
Hospital staff, many of whom have redeployed from other parts of the organisation, make daily phone calls to friends, relatives and carers who are unable to visit the site, due to the risk of spreading the virus.
The daily phone calls would normally be undertaken by nurses and doctors working in critical care. The creation of a new ‘hub’ team has freed up their time to provide care for coronavirus patients in need.
Alison Digney, outpatient service manager and operational lead for the hub, said:
“It’s been really rewarding to be involved.
“We’ve had lots of feedback from relatives who value receiving their updates each day.”
The wife of one patient, admitted to the ITU with coronavirus, said: “being able to send letters and photos has made me feel very close to my husband.
“This is a wonderful system for these extraordinary times.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
The hub team has received cards from families who have come to rely on the service for regular updates.
One such card read: “thank you for being the one who holds the hands, calms the nerves, relieves the tension, comforts the families – always putting the needs of others first.
“We appreciate all that you have done.”
Malcolm McCallum works in the administration team at the enquiry hub and joined just before it launched. He has been redeployed from his normal role as a front of house officer in the hospital’s private patients team.
He said: “From the moment the first call came in, I knew this was a service we could not do without.
“The hub alleviates some of the anxieties and concerns that relatives are feeling due to not being able to visit their loved ones during this difficult time.”
“They are so grateful to receive their daily updates.
“It is what they need to get them through each day.”
The hub staff have created not only great processes, but also a great team, who support each other and families through the difficult journey.
Patients who recover from Covid-19 and move out of ITU have their names added as a star on the Good News Walls located inside the hub.
Pamela Taft, who has been redeployed to the enquiry hub from her job as a PALS officer, said: “The best part is watching patients step-down from ITU and move out of the hospital and on to our Good News Wall.”
Find out more about our response to the coronavirus pandemic on our website here.