Publish date: 27 October 2023
TWO gaming carts for young patients at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals (WHH) have been purchased thanks to a generous donation from a Risley company.
The RockinR medical carts have games pre-loaded on to the console, allowing youngsters staying in WHH’s paediatric and emergency department to access activities that distract them from the constraints and anxieties that are often associated with being in a hospital environment.
The carts can be used sitting or standing and are ideal for wheelchairs or for use by a patient’s bedside, in treatment rooms or patient waiting areas. They also help to promote social interaction and engagement between healthcare professionals, patients, siblings, friends and parents.
Pauline Deans, Community Liaison Officer at Sellafield Ltd, which has a company office at Birchwood Park, said: “It’s great to be able to support a project which will not only benefit young people during a stressful time, but the hospital staff as well.”
The Paediatric Team at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust care for 30,000 children per year in the Emergency Department, Outpatients clinics and on the Children’s Ward, with more than 75 per cent of young patients having complex needs.
Helen Higginson, Head of Fundraising at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals Charity, said: “Gaming, both in research and practice, demonstrates an overwhelming positive influence on the wellbeing of both young patients and adults, and is increasingly being realised as a valuable resource for providing psychological and social support to children and young people with many medical conditions.
“This project is aimed at children and teenagers who struggle to interact. Being able to wheel this unit into their space will truly help what otherwise could be a stressful and challenging time for the patient and their family.”
Young patient enjoys donated gaming station on the children's ward at Warrington Hospital