AN innovative project which has seen therapists and nurses working alongside each other to help improve patient care and experience at Worcestershire Royal Hospital has been showcased at a national conference.
Lucy Kindley, a physiotherapist and ward manager on Evergreen Ward, was a key speaker at the King’s Fund ‘Harnessing the Value of Allied Health Professionals’ event on September 6 where she presented a paper on how joint working between therapy and nursing staff on her ward has seen a reduction in the length of time older patients in particular have to stay in hospital.
Evergreen Ward is jointly led by Therapy Ward Manager Lucy, and Nurse Ward Manager Vicky Bosworth.
It was opened at Worcestershire Royal Hospital last winter as part of a range of initiatives to help improve patient flow across the Trust.
The aim of the jointly-led ward is to promote a culture of independence among patients to aid their recovery.
The results have been positive, with 40 per cent of patients who would previously have required discharge to a community hospital for ongoing rehabilitation being able to go straight home instead.
The Trust’s chief nursing officer Vicky Morris said: “We are delighted with the feedback we receive about the care that Lucy, Vicky and all the team on Evergreen continue to deliver.
“We are now looking at ways that we can share the Evergreen philosophy across other wards in the Trust.”
