- Date awarded: January 2025
- Awarded value: £15,000
A compelling recent example of our patient support is the refurbishment of the dementia assessment wards (Wards 1 & 4) at Queen Margaret Hospital.
Recognising that patients often experience extended stays in these environments, frequently ranging from 6 to 12 weeks, staff in 2024 identified the need to transition from a clinical and somewhat dated environment to a more therapeutic and patient-centred space. Consequently, the Senior Charge Nurses from both wards submitted a joint funding application to cover the anticipated redecoration costs.
Fife Health Charity responded with a substantial grant of £15,000 per ward. Fife Health Charity responded with a £15K grant per ward and the delighted staff were able to completely transform these spaces, creating a lively TV area, a quieter zone with books, a visiting room complete with refreshment trolley and well as 2 cafes, one of which, Blossom Café, was modelled on nearby Pittencrieff Park. An MP4 entertainment system fulfilled the request for music in the wards and completed the project so that hospital staff and visitors will often hear the lively sounds of the sixties as they pass by.
It’s in projects like this, that our role is best demonstrated. By funding activities, equipment, projects, patient-focused support, and research that extend beyond the standard operational expenditure of NHS Fife, we deliver invaluable added value. While the impact of our contributions may not be quantifiable in traditional metrics, its transformative effect on patient care and well-being can be seen. Core hospital budgets are invariably subject to competing pressures, with services forced to use budgets wisely to provide the best patient care they can. In this context, Fife Health Charity intervenes by providing targeted financial support, enabling welcome enhancements to services, environments, and ultimately, the quality of life for individuals within our community.
the spaces have been a great success with both patients and families. It's all about making memories and these spaces provide wonderful scope to do that.
What did it cost?
Just £15,000 was required to transform these spaces and to improve the experience of both patients and visitors for many years to come.
