Patient power helps Medical Therapies Unit at RUH

Patients visiting the Medical Therapies Unit at the RUH can now use a new and much more convenient entrance – saving them time and a longer walk via the adjoining Cardiac ward.

It's all come about thanks to patient experience and feedback, particularly from multiple sclerosis patient Ros Dobson who told her story to the Management Board of the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust.

Ros, from Bath, said: "I've been coming here for treatment for seven years, every four weeks, and I've always felt uncomfortable at having to reach Medical Therapies by walking through the Cardiac ward.

"It feels intrusive to walk past areas where inpatients are being treated. I use crutches and can't move quickly, and I'm always worried I'll get in the way of staff in a hurry to an emergency. There's always the risk of infection too. So, having this new access is great and much better for patients like me and the staff."

The new route to Medical Therapies is now via Vascular Studies on the second floor of Zone B (B56) It is for ambulatory and elective patients – others will continue to use the Cardiac ward route.

Senior Sister Liz Richards said: "This is such a simple solution to a long-standing issue and we're so pleased that we've been supported to make it happen. We can see around 300 patients a month and this means we're preserving their dignity and privacy, reducing the risk of infection – and making their experience much more comfortable and convenient."

The Medical Therapies Unit is a six-trolley/chairs, nurse-led unit providing care for patients admitted for planned treatment and/or investigations from a wide range of medical specialities, thereby reducing the need for inpatient admission. These specialities include:

• Cardiology
• Gastroenterology
• Neurology
• Respiratory
• Endocrinology

Patient Experience matters at the RUH and feedback is very important if we are to provide a quality service which meets the needs of patients, families and carers. We welcome your comments about your experiences of the services provided by the RUH.

ENDS

Notes to Editor

• The Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust provides acute treatment and care for a catchment population of around 500,000 people in Bath, and the surrounding towns and villages in North East Somerset and Western Wiltshire. The hospital provides healthcare to the population served by four Clinical Commissioning Groups: Bath & North East Somerset CCG, Wiltshire CCG, Somerset CCG and South Gloucestershire CCG.
• The Trust has 759 beds and a comprehensive range of acute services including medicine and surgery, services for women and children, accident and emergency services, and diagnostic and clinical support services.
• In 2015 The Royal United Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust acquired the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) NHS Foundation Trust. The RNHRD treats patients from across the country offering services in rheumatology, chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome/ME, cancer related fatigue and fatigue linked to other long term conditions such as multiple sclerosis.
• The RUH is changing - we have an exciting programme of redevelopment underway transforming our site and further improving the services we provide. The Trust has opened the purpose-built RNHRD and Brownsword Therapies Centre and is now working towards the new Dyson Cancer Centre. For more details visit: www.ruh.nhs.uk/fit4future

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