Northamptonshire Health Charity opens first Swan Room at Northampton General Hospital for family of those in end of life care

Northamptonshire Health Charity (NHC) has opened its first Swan Room at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) for those in end of life care.

The room, which cost £3000 - £3500 to kit out, is equipped with a range of amenities designed to make people’s stay there more comfortable and less clinical.

It is hoped that this pilot room will set a new standard for those going through end of life care, for both the patient and their loved ones, and the charity hopes to open more rooms in the future.

Kerry Messam, the nurse who spearheaded the room’s proposal, said: “As a palliative care clinical nurse specialist part of our role is to support the ongoing development of specialist and palliative end of life care services at Northampton General hospital.

“I have a particular interest in enhancing the support we provide to family and caregivers.

"We have introduced the pilot swan room as we are committed to supporting families and caregivers visiting dying relatives and friends. We acknowledge how physically and emotionally difficult being with a dying person can be. To support this, we have decorated and furnished the room with resources that we hope family and caregivers will find useful.

“These include a bedside locker containing hot drink making facilities, blue tooth speaker, phone charging cable and plug, LED candles and a comfort pack including toothbrush and toothpaste etc. An extendable bed/chair has been provided for comfort and supports those who wish to stay overnight.

“We have a further pilot swan room coming soon within oncology.

“Also as part of this in intiative we are hoping to find an area that can be converted into a family room space to allow family and friends to stay close to their loved one but also take time for themselves.”

The charity currently has two upcoming fundraising appeals for NGH that will be revealed soon.

One is to fund a designated base and enhanced facilities for the maternity bereavement midwives who support parents who lose a baby while the other is to help with funding for accommodation for parents who have a premature baby being cared for in the neonatal ward.

They are also approaching the half way mark to £130,000 with their fundraising for a new outside play area between the children’s wards.

If all goes well, it is hoped that the charity can afford to make many more humanitarian offerings like these in the future.

Robert Powell, charity fundraiser for NHC, said: “Being able to fund a project like this is the very reason that Northamptonshire Health Charity exists so it is wonderful to see all the hard work and dedication from the hospital staff involved with it come to fruition.

"The impact this room and the resources available will have for patients and their families at such a difficult and devastating time for them will really make a huge difference.

“The charity has been able to fund the Swan Rooms with thanks to donations from people in the local community. If anyone would like to make a donation to help us continue funding enhancements to patient care and experience you can do so via the website.”