Young people coming to Hospital can now get an advance peek at what to expect thanks to a video created especially to reassure them.
For a child coming to the hospital for the first time either to visit or as a patient is a scary prospect so a group of other children has spent a year and a half making a video to help introduce people to the hospital.
Victoria’s voice, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s young people’s forum, started working on the video along with other young people from Highfurlong School in June 2014. The video features everything involved in a trip to hospital from the start in an ambulance right through to going home. It explores wards and meets some of the people that young people might meet including doctors and nurses and play workers in the children’s wards.
The star of the film, which is presented in a long and short version is Harry Clueit, a member of Victoria’s Voice hospital youth forum who has just turned 18. He first came in to hospital as an emergency patient and was later diagnosed with diabetes. He takes us through his journey and talks to the doctors involved in his care.
He said: “The Victoria’s Voice members have first-hand experience of coming to hospital and know how scary it can be the first time. We wanted to make the experience easier and to dispel myths by creating this video for children to watch before they have to go to hospital.”
The video shows the children’s wards as one of the best in the country and emphasises the importance placed on ensuring young people are cared for in a way that they understand and are encouraged to take control of their own health. Even down to how young people are involved in the interview process for new doctors and other staff.
Fiona Jones, Patient Experience Officer within the Children’s Wards of the hospital Trust, said: “The way we work with children is quite special and through our charter of promises we make to our young patients. We want to reassure children and young people that coming in to hospital is a positive experience for them and they shouldn’t be scared or apprehensive of coming for treatment or asking questions about their care.
“Making the film was lots of fun especially for the pupils from Highfurlong School who were really excited to take on the project, it’s great for a child to see the hospital when they aren’t here for treatment, and hopefully it will be equally as helpful to other children.”
The film has been kindly created for free by Blackpool based production company SAMfilms led by Roger Stevens and Chris Mcloughlin, and is presented in a short and long version. The short version can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRa-q06XF5w
and the long version here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHgy1yMVc2g
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For all media enquiries please contact Nathan Skelton, communications support officer, on 01253 953538 or Nathan.skelton@bfwhospitals.nhs.uk