Successes from Health & Wellbeing Hub
/priorscourt @PriorsCourt @priors_court Prior's Court Foundation
A bespoke facility opened on-site earlier
this year is already improving the health
and wellbeing of our young people.
Our Health & Wellbeing Hub contains a designated
medical treatment room which:
● Replicates external healthcare settings to help
young people overcome anxieties around medical
appointments off-site,
● Provides an equipped space for our nursing team
to conduct on-site health reviews, and a location
for appointments run with third party healthcare
professionals.
In the fi rst three months of operations, work at the
Health & Wellbeing Hub, complemented with other
approaches taken on-site, led to:
● One young person, who previously had to
be sedated for any blood tests or vaccinations,
underwent both procedures without the need for
sedation.
● Likewise, another young person with the same
history, was able to calmly have both a blood test and
immunisations completed.
In the fi rst three months, 18 clinics were
held in the Hub with healthcare
professionals from services such as
CAMHS, dietary and neurology, and
30 external clinic appointments
were supported with pre-activity
within the Hub.
Sarah Butcher, our Director
of Young People's Wellbeing,
said: "Accessing healthcare
- such as an appointment at
the hospital, doctors or dentist
- can be a stressful experience
for young people with autism.
Visiting an unfamiliar environment
outside of normal routine, crowded
waiting rooms and previous negative
experiences can all contribute to
extreme anxiety. Even with signifi cant
planning and preparation, attending
medical appointments still poses a
signifi cant challenge.
"The Health & Wellbeing Hub was built to
ensure our young people are more likely to
successfully access healthcare. The successes
from the fi rst three months of the Hub show it is
already making a signifi cant difference.
"We are confi dent that these successes will continue
as the changing nature of the Covid-19 pandemic
means we will have the opportunity to use the hub for
more on-site medical procedures, such as dental and
optician appointments."
The building also contains a dedicated in-house
medication store, two therapy engagement rooms
and a shared workspace for our Nursing, Multidisciplinary
Therapy and Positive Behaviour Support
(PBS) teams to work closely together.
Hannah Gerrard, our Lead Nurse, said: "Since the Hub
opened, Nursing and PBS have been able to meet
and discuss the young people more frequently. We
have been able to discuss who requires psychiatry
reviews from both the point of view of the nursing
and PBS teams and plan the clinics together.
"Nursing and physio have also been working together
more, with pooling of data, observations and shared
reviews. This has reduced the number of times young
people require hospital reviews due to accessing the
extensive knowledge of our on-site physiotherapist
Marta Sobocinska."
The Hub was opened following a
successful fundraising campaign which was
supported by a number of individuals, local
companies, and charitable trusts and foundations.