Making children's stay in hospital more comfortable (From Salisbury Journal)

Making children's stay in hospital more comfortable

4:18pm Thursday 27th March 2008 in Stars Appeal news By Jill Harding

THE new children's centre will provide care for a core catchment area of some 75,000 children.

This includes children from Salisbury, Wilton, Amesbury, Alderbury, the Chalke Valley, Downton, Durrington, Tisbury, Fovant, Mere, Blandford, Cranborne, Gillingham, Shaftesbury, Devizes, Netheravon, Ludgershall, the Lavingtons, Fordingbridge, New Forest North West, Ringwood, Warminster; Westbury, Alderholt, Verwood, West Moors and surrounding villages.

In addition, the children's plastics department which includes the cleft lip and palate service and children's hand surgery covers Chichester, Dorchester, Bournemouth and Poole, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Basingstoke.

The Stars Appeal Caring 4 Kids campaign will provide the money to equip the children's centre with a range of additional equipment and facilities including: - Dedicated en-suite rooms for children with cancer and other serious conditions who have to stay in hospital for long periods. These will be equipped with computer/music and play systems, as well as furnishings to make the room as homely and well equipped as possible.

- A high-dependency suite so that children with serious conditions can be treated in a child focused environment instead of transferring to the adult high-dependency ward.

- Indoor and outdoor play spaces and equipment for recreation and play therapy.

- A multi-sensory room primarily for the use of the many children with disabilities who have to visit the hospital on a regular basis for therapy and treatment. The room will be designed and equipped for the needs of these children to aid their development and provide an inviting, stimulating environment in which therapies can be delivered.

- State-of-the-art treatment and diagnostic equipment.

- Accommodation for parents who are spending time on the ward with their child or baby. This area will be welcoming and comfortable and allow parents space, privacy and peace when they need it.

- Special facilities for teenagers.

- Entertainment, home comforts and a healing environment.

The Caring 4 Kids campaign will provide all the added extras to create a child-friendly, welcoming and functional environment with up-to-date audio-visual equipment, games and facilities, as well as therapeutic art and decoration to create a space tailored to the needs of children.