Milton Keynes Hospital Charity has been awarded a grant of £75,114 to support hospital teams respond to a potential surge in respiratory infections in local, young children.
The funding is part of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund, which is jointly run by the Department of Health and Social Care, Public Health England and NHS England and NHS Improvement.
The grant will provide extra support for children, their families and the hospital’s paediatric respiratory service this winter, to meet the predicted increase in respiratory viral infections in young children.
It will directly fund additional roles within the paediatric respiratory team, including a children’s physiotherapist and additional respiratory nurses, as well as enhancing information packs given to parents.
The funds will also help the team raise awareness of managing paediatric respiratory infections within the Milton Keynes community – by funding, as an example, online videos in a variety of translations and working closely with local organisations such as Sure Start centres.
Lorna Bass is the children’s respiratory lead at Milton Keynes University Hospital. She said: “Thank you to the VCSE Health and Wellbeing fund for awarding us this grant. With the anticipated influx in respiratory patients, this will help us further meet the demand by increasing our service size. It will also help improve patient and family experience – ultimately, reducing hospital admissions and providing better access to community support.”
Vanessa Holmes is head of charity at Milton Keynes Hospital Charity. She said: “I am so pleased that the hospital charity can support MKUH children’s services in this way; helping to support the hospital when and where it matters most. We’re confident this will enhance the experience of young patients, their families and the staff caring for them in and around MK.”
Emma Easton is Head of Voluntary Partnerships at NHS England and NHS Improvement. She said: “The VCSE sector has been instrumental during COVID-19 and other busy times at reducing pressure on the NHS. With a projected increase in respiratory viruses amongst children over the winter months, the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Fund is a fantastic opportunity to ensure that VCSE organisations can work alongside NHS Trusts to provide support for parents and carers whose children have developed complications from respiratory viruses such as bronchiolitis.”
For more information about Milton Keynes Hospital Charity, please visit their website.
