Patients completing their recovery on the Acute Rehabilitation Trauma Unit (ARTU) at University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) are now able to ring an end of treatment bell thanks to the generous donation from the ‘End of Treatment Bell’ charity.
ARTU Senior Staff Nurse for Quality, Leanne Allcock got in touch with End of Treatment Bells after seeing them work well in other areas of the hospital and the motivation it provides patients on the ward.
Leanne said: “As you can imagine it can be quite emotional for patients who have been here for months and months, I got in touch with End of Treatment Bells who kindly donated us one with our own inspiring poem written by one of our Healthcare Assistants, which makes it even more personal for us and our patients.”
ARTU is one of the first rehabilitation units to be developed within a major trauma centre. The unit is run by a large multidisciplinary team and cares for patients that require specialised care following severe head trauma, complex spinal injuries and neurological injuries.
Danny Allen, 27, from Wales, was one of the first patients to ring the bell, said: “I was admitted to the ward in December after being involved in a road traffic accident. I had some quite severe injuries but thankfully after some time I have recovered and able to continue my rehab at Haywood Hospital. I can’t thank the team on ARTU enough they have all been amazing.”
The unit is one of only five in England awarded a contract from NHS England to fund 10 beds for the most complex trauma patients that need intense specialised rehabilitation.
Leanne continued: “We have had some patients stay with us up to a year, receiving some intense therapy and rehabilitation and we wanted something to celebrate their determination and achieving their goals and success of their rehabilitation journey.”
