July 01, 2020 4 min read

As we look on in awe at all the hospital staff working so tirelessly in our community, many of us are wondering: can we play a bigger part in caring for our community, in supporting our hospital at a time of great pressure?

The answer is yes.

At Tallaght University Hospital Foundation, we need you now more than ever. You have the power to make big differences to the lives of Tallaght University Hospital patients, their families and our staff in ways that will not only tackle this emergency, but transform how the hospital operates; making us a shining example of what is truly possible in healthcare.

We launched an appeal and thanks to you we were able to create a dynamic fund that has been available to our hospital to fund what they need when they need it. Your donations have been there to support our staff in acting quickly and decisively in implementing projects that are deemed necessary by our hospital, including projects that  keep our staff healthy and safe while offering our patients exceptional care.

There is no doubt, Covid-19 will change the way hospitals operate for a long time to come. Our support can help TUH make those lasting changes right now, keeping us ahead of the crisis as we all prepare for a brighter future. We will continue to support urgent projects, but we will always remain focused on our four main areas – Community Healthcare, Innovation, Capital Projects and Research. Please join us in leading this great change.

TUH has already made vast adaptations so that it can care for and protect our vulnerable patients: those with COVID-19, and those with other life-changing illnesses who are at crucial stages of their care. We have many examples of the kinds of initiatives that make a difference, including the up-skilling the cardiology teamin ventilator management; creating our improvised ‘drive-thru’ Warfarin Clinicthat enables stroke patients to stay safe while receiving medicine; and the Age-Related team providing simple video exercises to our cocooning population.

As long as there is a need, Tallaght University Hospital will not stop innovating.

But we aren’t here to tell you about how hard TUH staff are working; about their long hours, their courage and adaptability, their groundbreaking cross-department collaboration. Instead, let us tell you how your support positively impacts both their lives, and the lives of the most vulnerable, every day.

One of the hardest parts about the recent crisis is having to keep families apart from their loved ones. We all know how important it is to see those we love when we are at our most vulnerable. Without this vital contact, patients can feel anxious and bereft. But thanks to your generosity, as well as kind donations from Apple, visiting for family and friendshas been made possible. To bring friends and family closer together, each ward is now equipped with an encased iPad for calls home. These iPads replace in-person visiting of friends and family, and also make it possible for r a family member to be present during discussions of care with clinical and nursing staff.

 Tallaght University Hospital has also been able to utilise their existing plans to create Digitally Enhanced Carein the hospital. They combined new technology received from the business community with existing innovation to support hospital staff communicating with colleagues in order to efficiently treat and diagnose patients as well as helping them provide support for community settings such as hospices and nursing homes.

 Your donations have also enabled TUHF to begin setting up 16 Rest & Recovery roomsaround the hospital for our staff in order to help them mind their health and wellbeing during Covid-19. These are new spaces that allow staff to switch off, get some time to quieten their minds and breathe, even for a little while. We also provide information for staff about other supports that are available to them for their mental health and their physical health and wellbeing.

Our ambitions don’t end here.With continued funding we can implement even more vital projects and initiatives that go beyond the obvious to create an safer and more responsive environment. But we still need your support to do this. There is an immediate need for your support for two of the projects already underway

  • Virtual Consultations
  • Movable Workstations

 

Virtual Consultations

Coccooning measures combined with the need to reduce footfall at the hospital has seen many at-risk people not attending their regular appointments.

 As these measures will be remaining in place for some time, we must now kit out our out- patient rooms with screens, web cams and headsets so that those out-patients who are unable to visit in person can have their appointments from home via video conference.

 Your donation to this project could have life-saving consequences, allowing patients who may otherwise put off their visit, receives the vital information and scheduled tests that they need.

 

Movable Workstations

Our hospital is always busy, and many staff need access to clinical areas and workstations at the same time. With social distancing, this has become increasingly difficult to manage as staff can no longer congregate in one area.

To combat this problem and comply with the HSE guidelines, we have an immediate need for mobile workstations. These provide our staff with access to ICT  systems  anywhere  on  the  ward,  protecting  staff  and  patients and reducing the risk of infection.

 By helping our staff stay safe you are giving them the chance to do their jobs with far less stress and concern. By adding a layer of protection through mobile workstations, you can help us ensure the wellbeing of out- patients and staff in every area of the hospital.

Just a few short months ago, none of us could have predicted the situation we are in now. And none of us knew how much we could transform a hospital in such a short space of time.

 

From managing rapid change to caring for those enduring this most difficult virus, by coming together as a foundation, a hospital and a community we can continue to put real force behind our vision for healthcare. A vision that will not only see us safely through this crisis but also show us what are truly capable of achieving.

 

Be part of our vision. Support Tallaght University Hospital Foundation today.

 

 


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