Local children’s hospital charity launches new campaign for life-saving equipment

Rockinghorse Children’s Charity needs to raise £50,000 to fund a life-saving piece of equipment for the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital.

The Emergency Department (ED) at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital treats around 700 children every week.

With symptoms ranging from allergic reactions to broken bones, upset tummies to serious medical emergencies, the staff within the department are experts at being able to respond quickly to whatever they are faced with.

But while they may have the knowledge and experience to help thousands of children every year, they need the best equipment to be able to support their work and help diagnose and treat their young patients as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Quick diagnosis and life-saving treatment

The local children’s hospital charity, Rockinghorse, is launching a new campaign to fund a brand-new Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) machine for the ED at the local children’s hospital.

For staff working at the sharp end of children’s healthcare, being able to quickly and accurately assess a child’s condition is incredibly important. Saving valuable minutes with a diagnosis can make all the difference when it comes to the correct treatment and potential outcomes, which is why this clever bit of kit is so important.

Ultrasound scanning has been used for many years by specialists such as cardiologists, radiologists and obstetricians. It’s a non-invasive scan that uses sound waves to create images of internal organs, tissues, muscles and blood vessels along with the heart.

The POCUS uses this same technology as a normal ultrasound but instead of the patient having to go to where the machine is located, it brings it to the patient’s bedside. This saves valuable time and means that babies and children can be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible.

Saving children’s lives

Dr Dan Yusef is a Consultant Paediatrician in the ED at The Alex. He explains why it’s so important to him and his team: “Having this POCUS within the Emergency Department at the Royal Alex makes a huge impact on the care that we can provide every single day.

“Being able to quickly and effectively diagnose a child in a serious or critical condition, means that we can get them the treatment they need as soon as possible. This not only helps them and their family but means that we can see more children and speed up waiting times within the department – a plus for so many.

“This machine really can make the difference between life and death, and it forms an absolutely vital part of our work here at the hospital.”

Fran Masey-O’Neill, Project Manager at Rockinghorse, said: “Having links directly with the NHS staff that will directly benefit from our work means that we are making sure we’re putting our efforts right where they are needed.”

Can you help?

If you can support the charity to fund this vital piece of equipment, you will be helping to ensure that more babies and children get the urgent care they need, right when they need it the most.

It also means that you will be helping The Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital be at the forefront of paediatric emergency medicine, providing the best care, in the most efficient way, to children throughout Sussex.

To find out more about this campaign, visit the Rockinghorse website:

www.rockinghorse.org.uk or call them on 01273 330044.