Support for former critical care patients reaches milestone
A group is celebrating a decade of helping former patients who have used intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency units (HDU) at Broomfield Hospital.
The Critical Care Patient Support Group, run by dedicated ICU staff, lets patients, along with family members, come together to talk about their shared experiences.
Groups like this are an important part of providing support throughout long-term recovery for patients and relatives who experience critical care.
Jen Beauclerk, Critical Care Staff Nurse, is one of the nurses who runs the sessions. She said: “People who have spent time in the ICU can sometimes be left with long-term issues. These can be physical, such as scars or mobility issues, or they can be psychological.
“Family members can also find it very stressful to have a loved one in critical care, so it’s equally important that they have a chance to share their point of view. This group offers a safe space for them to talk about what they’ve been through and support each other.”
One of those former patients is Paul Turner, from Halsted, who spent two weeks in the ICU four years ago and now regularly attends the sessions with his wife.
Paul said: “The patient support group has been an invaluable tool for my recovery following my stay in the ICU. Being able to share my experience and my journey with other patients and staff has been extremely helpful.”Similar groups are also in place at Southend and Basildon hospitals. The Southend group started just over a year ago and is run by senior sisters Anita Hyams and Jacqui Stone.
Anita said: “The meetings always prove popular with our past ICU patients and their family members; we had 20 people at our last group. Patients have told me that they felt very lost after being in hospital and this support group gave them a reason to get out of bed and meet other people.”
Basildon Hospital recently held its first ever Critical Care Patient Support Group meeting. Rachel Alleway, Rehabilitation Services Lead Nurse, said: “After they leave critical care, not all patients will need a medical follow up with a consultant. However, this group lets them connect with others with similar experiences, which helps with their overall journey to recovery.”
Anyone who has been an ICU or HDU patient across the Trust can be referred to the support groups through follow up clinics or through the psychotherapy team.
You can find out more about the Critical Care Patient Support Groups by emailing:
Broomfield Hospital: mse.broomfieldicusupportgroup@nhs.net
Basildon Hospital: mse.ccurehabfollowup@nhs.net
Southend Hospital: mse.southend.criticalcarefollowup@nhs.net