Hospital Radio: Plenty to be proud about at our hospital

There is a lot written about Torbay Hospital and all the funding issues, queueing ambulances and the age of buildings and I sometimes think this detracts from the fantastic work that is done here.

I was visiting the maternity wards a couple of weeks ago and the staff were terrific. They were welcoming and they were highly attentive and skilful in everything they did. This work goes on all around the hospital and the Doctors, Nurses and support staff in whatever area, are the unsung heroes in keeping the provision of care at a high level.

Now nobody wants to be in hospital, the shorter the stay the better, but I appreciate that individual experiences can vary  patient to patient. Outcomes are not always positive, but when members of our team meet patients more often than not they are glowing in the praise they heap upon the staff at the Hospital. The NHS has well documented challenges and action is required of course, but from a personal perspective I would applaud the service and care that is available on our doorstep, I think we are very lucky in that respect.

Of course I do have a grumble. I have reported several times before on the value of music in the recovery process and as a presenter on the hospital’s own dedicated radio station where we provide entertainment 24/7, it sometimes frustrating to hear other radio stations playing in various areas of the hospital complex. That said of course I do not expect us to have a monopoly on what patients and staff should listen to, or have playing in the background, but please give us a try, you might just be surprised. We broadcast throughout the hospital on 95.9fm and you can listen live at our website or on any smart device. Just search for Torbay Hospital Radio.

Something we will be talking about on the station is  a new community cancer wellbeing event at Newton Abbot Racecourse next month. Aimed at people living with cancer, along with their family, friends and carers, taking place on Tuesday 4th November, it will  bring together local organisations, NHS professionals, and community support groups to showcase the wide range of help available for people affected by cancer. You can simply drop in at any time from 9:30am to 1:30pm. There will also be two short talks during the morning including one on nutrition and healthy eating during and after cancer treatment. You can find more details from  The Lodge Cancer Support and Information Centre on 01803 656490.

One other area that is run by volunteers at the hospital are the South West Blood Bikes who also help to deliver and courier samples to and from laboratories as well as vital blood deliveries. As of July, this year they had completed over 600 jobs, delivering over 4700 items. This included 11 units of whole blood and 207 pharmacy items, racking up an amazing 24,000 miles. 

Volunteers, and hundreds like them around the UK use their skills to support the NHS and earn nothing, they (like Hospital Radio) are an independent, self-funded charity. They charge the NHS nothing for the service they provide. You may be thinking, why aren’t Blood Bikes centrally funded? It’s a good question, but these days many essential services are now provided by charities, such as the Air Ambulance, the Lifeboat service and National Coastwatch. Whichever Government is in power is unlikely to be stepping in any time to support these causes, so I would urge you to support them if you are able to do so.

One final thing, as I walked around the hospital the other day, I noticed the new Seagrass Meadow sculpture it is located in the hospital’s main entrance,  a tribute to the locals who gave the gift of life through organ donation. I’ll be back next week with news on an interview with Paul Carrack.