Each year, with your support our Charity pledges £100,000 towards the Patients' Fund. Staff from both hospitals can apply to this fund for projects which will make life a little better for their patients and their families.

In 2019, Dr Debbie Ford, Dr Alex Rosenberg and Adam Rowland applied to The Patients’ Fund to instal infographic signage for visitors’ rooms in both hospitals, to improve the experience for both patients and their relatives.

We spoke with Adam Rowland, ITU charge nurse, who helped to coordinate this project. “We got the idea from other units who had used Marles and Barclay before and had posted about it on Twitter. They created these graphics for us and included a brief bit of history about Harefield,” he said. “I think we've got to be really proud of what we've done at Harefield over the years.”

The visitors’ rooms had needed some colour and staff wanted to provide information to patients in an accessible way. This was to better inform new patients, and their families, about the equipment in ITU.

Adam Rowland said: “When patients come in there’s lots of machines that they don't really know, and this might just give them a little bit of a heads up of what things are. Or if they've come in and then come out again, they can say ‘that's that machine’. The graphic’s got a very brief description next to it, which is trying to help put them at ease.”

He said that the graphics also contain some of the history of the hospitals and provide house keeping information, such as guidance on using mobile phones.

Although visitor restrictions have prevented the infographics receiving feedback from the intended beneficiaries, the response has been positive.

Everybody who's been in and seen the boards are excited about them. They've already asked me to let them know how it was done, so they can have it on the other wards. There's big interest from around the hospital, which is nice

Adam Rowland said: “We are ever so grateful for this funding. I think it's going to make a huge difference in our unit, especially to our relatives. We have such a vast relative base, from transplants to cardiac cases. Some patients are with us for a short period, some of them are with us for much longer and their visitors will see those devices time and time again, so, to be able to give them a snapshot of what each one does and put them at ease is fantastic.”

From iPads and physio equipment to comfort packs and camp beds for parents, projects that receive investment from The Patients’ Fund can make a huge difference to patients and their families.

Learn more about the Patients' Fund