Children in Northwich could soon enjoy a better experience at hospital in a new ‘state-of-the-art’ waiting room.
The Mid Cheshire Hospitals Charity (MCH Charity) has launched a fundraising appeal to create a separate, child friendly waiting room within the main waiting area at the Vitoria Infirmary (VIN).
Plans include a high-tech interactive floor projector and a sensory play wall, to help distract and entertain children who might otherwise find being in a hospital challenging.
By providing a calming environment, the space will make their experience as enjoyable as possible, and help to relieve the stress and worry of parents and carers.
Karen Bowman, general manager at VIN, said: “We are delighted to be working with MCH Charity to launch this appeal to enable us to create a safe and welcoming environment for our paediatric patients.”
The charity hopes to raise £100,000 to fund the project, and to help other departments across VIN improve patient experience.
The appeal follows a successful campaign in 2021 to fund a child friendly waiting area in the new paediatric emergency care department at Leighton Hospital in Crewe.
Ceri Donovan, paediatric advanced clinical practitioner at Leighton Hospital, said: “The interactive floor projectors that were funded by the charity play a huge part in helping us to calm and distract children who attend the unit.
“I remember we had a little girl in who was very distressed, and we were finding it difficult to calm her. I took her to the projector and within seconds her attention was on it, and she almost immediately calmed down. It was amazing to see.”
The appeal comes just weeks after Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust announced that £14.1 million has been allocated to build a Cheshire Elective Hub at the VIN.
The proposed development will feature state-of-the-art clinical areas to support patient care, including two theatres, recovery area and consulting rooms.
If you would like to find out more about the appeal or would like to donate to or fundraise for it, please get in touch with MCH Charity via email charity@mcht.nhs.uk or visit their appeal webpage https://mchcharity.org/appeals/vin-appeal/
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