Southampton Children’s Hospital Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is set to introduce two new state-of-the-art beds which have built-in x-ray facilities to enable immediate bedside imaging for critically-ill patients.
We are delighted to announce that we reached our £10,000 fundraising target to purchase one bed and thanks to support from the fantastic charity Friends of PICU two beds have are being purchased at a combined cost of £21,000.
Known as Horizon 400 Precision, the beds provide 360 degree access through removable headboard panels and include scales to help medics manage patients’ fluid balance.
With one-touch buttons, Clinicians will also be able to elevate patients up to 70 degrees compared to the current 20 degrees which cannot easily protect against ventilator-associated pneumonia or for patients with high pressure in the skull.
“We have tested the beds and have been really impressed with the technology available, particularly the built-in x-ray facilities and scales,” said Pam McAleer, Senior Sister PICU.
“The paediatric intensive care unit is second-to-none in the excellent service and quality of care they provide to their young patients and families, which we have experienced first-hand.
Now we have set up our own charity linked to the hospital and, through our wonderful supporters, have raised £10,000 to purchase one of these much-needed beds.
We are eternally grateful for the support and belief in what we are doing and the difference we are able to make to the lives of other children and their families as a result.” – James Murray & Sarah Parish – Co-founders of The Murray Parish Trust
Mark Hilder, secretary of Friends of PICU, added: “We are delighted to join Sarah and Jim and The Murray Parish Trust in raising equal funds so we can donate two of these brilliant new beds to the unit.
“We have been told by the medical staff what an important piece of medical equipment they will be and how much easier treatment of a patient at the bedside will be.”
The PICU at Southampton Children’s Hospital treats more than 1,000 patients a year from birth to 18 years and is the lead centre for children’s intensive care in south central England.
The unit covers a catchment area of 27 hospitals from across Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, South Devon, Dorset, Berkshire, Sussex, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. It also regularly received referrals from further afield.
Thank you to everyone who helped us reach this fundraising target!
Find out more about our latest challenge to raise funds for a revolutionary iMRI Suite at Southampton Children’s Hospital – The iMRI Suite Appeal
