County Hospital Walk Through Sessions help to make surgery less daunting

Patients with upcoming surgical procedures are being given the opportunity to have a look behind the scenes at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM).

County hospital in Stafford is opening the doors to its theatres department giving patients and their loved ones the chance to tour facilities and meet with staff.   

Any patients with additional needs or anxieties about their upcoming procedure are being encouraged to attend the ‘Walk Through Sessions’ which start next week.

Tina Heminsley, Theatre Recovery Sister at County Hospital said: “Attending hospital for a surgical procedure can be a daunting experience for anybody, let alone someone with additional needs or anxieties. We’ve arranged these sessions for anybody who is feeling anxious or concerned ahead of their procedure, or for patients with additional needs, who would benefit from coming to have a look around and become more familiar our department and meet with our staff.”

Those in attendance will have the chance to look around the department’s anaesthetic and recovery room, as well as being shown one of the operating theatres.

Tina said: “We’ve arranged these sessions on days when we carry out essential allocated clinical audit projects within our theatres, so no procedures are taking place, giving visitors uninterrupted access to our facilities. They can expect a warm and friendly welcome from a team who are there for them every step of the way, making their journey through surgery as comfortable as possible. Carers and family members are also very welcome to attend ad we can appreciate it can be a worrying time for them also.”        

Teams from County hospital’s main theatre hub along with those from the Staffordshire Treatment Suite and the North Midlands Hand Centre will welcome patients in the afternoon on the following dates throughout the year:

•    Monday 15 July
•    Friday 13 September
•    Thursday 17 October
•    Tuesday 12 November

For more information email jeanette.tipper@uhnm.nhs.uk, tina.heminsley@uhnm.nhs.uk, Jessica.culvin@uhnm.nhs.uk, or call 01785 257731, ext 4411.