Enhancing local communities
Hywel Dda Health Charities helped fund an initiative which improves communication for patients over 18 with a life-limiting condition in Carmarthenshire.
The project aims to facilitate communication between all those supporting a patient and is aligned with the national Safe Care Collaborative which is led by the Institute of Healthcare Improvement and Improvement Cymru. Locally this important quality improvement project is being lead through the Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Enabling Quality Improvement in Practice (EQIiP) programme.
Thanks to your donations, we purchased 1,000 Lions Clubs’ ‘Message in a Bottle’ bottles and Carmarthen Lions Club who donated 400 bottles.
Delivering tangible benefits
Specific benefits of this initiative include:
- improving the experience for our patients being cared for in their own homes
- key information about a person’s wishes is stored in a standardised and recognised way whilst receiving care in their own homes
- it saves the Emergency Services valuable time if they need to enter a property in an emergency.
- it helps identify who you are and if you have special medication or allergies.
Craig Jones, Clinical Lead Nurse, said: “We are so grateful to the staff, patients and families whose donations have allowed us to purchase the ‘Message in a Bottle’ bottles and also to Carmarthen Lions Club for their generous donation of 400 bottles.
“Those involved in supporting the patient, such as third sector agencies, social and health care professionals, will be trained to recognise the ‘Message in a Bottle’ as the place to find the essential information in regard to a person’s wishes.”
Sarah Cameron, Head of Community Nursing, said: “It’s been great to see an all-round great team effort from the project team.”
Mr Roger Lewis from Carmarthen Lions Club, said: “Carmarthen Lions Club has been supporting local needs for 50 years, and is delighted to assist such a fantastic initiative by donating 400 bottles to Hywel Dda Health Charities.”
“The bottles will help protect people in our communities. This would not be possible without donations from the public and local businesses. We welcome new members, please see our social media”.