A new visiting programme has been launched at Falkirk Community Hospital to allow families and carers to see their loved ones outwith normal visiting times as part of a national Patient-Centred Visiting initiative.
The launch was celebrated with tea and cakes baked by local staff and student nurses brought patients without visitors to the ground floor of the hospital to join them for a welcome cuppa. Around 75 members of the public attended and Senior Charge Nurse, Irene Martin, said she was delighted with the response.
She explained: “This event has been really successful and the patients have thoroughly enjoyed it. Relatives and carers have been eager to offer their views. Some of our patients are in for a couple of weeks, some for a couple of months, so we want to make it as homely as possible for them. Some for example, may have been early risers all their lives and it would be good for their wellbeing if a visitor could join them at breakfast time to have a cup of coffee.”
The ‘welcome at any time’ approach is also being rolled out to other community hospitals and the main inpatient wards at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in early 2020.
