1. Sophie Thomas, Buffy Wheatley, Joan James,
Paul Sartori Foundation The Challenges and Benefits of a 24 hour Equipment Loan Service
Sophie Thomas, Buffy Wheatley, Joan James,
Linda Hier, Pat Coombs
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

2. SERVICES PROVIDED
We provide ‘hands on’ care to those living with a life-limiting illness enabling people to die at home if that is their preference.
Home nursing care
Bereavement support
Complementary therapies
Equipment loan
General advice and information
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

3. COST OF THE SERVICE
All our services are provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of the people of Pembrokeshire.
The NHS contributes approximately 15% towards our overall income.
The remainder comes through ‘In Memoriam’ donations, fundraising, house-to-house collections, legacies, corporate sponsorship and our 4 charity shops.
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

4. EQUIPMENT LOAN
Available free of charge to anyone who fits our care criteria
We will deliver any time of day or night if the provision of the equipment will prevent a hospital admission
Intended to fill gaps rather than replace other services.
Equipment is stored on the premises
The Care Management Team are all responsible for purchasing, delivering, collecting, cleaning and checking
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

5. THE CARE MANAGEMENT TEAM
5 Members
Matron (RN)
Deputy Matron (RN)
2 Care Coordinators (Senior HCA’s)
Equipment Facilitator (HCA)
We all have access to the equipment database and can find out what is in stock in minutes
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

6. STATUTORY PROVISION
The Joint NHS Trust and Social Services store – SHAPES – is only able to deliver equipment between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday – Friday
Within opening hours other issues exist:
The length of wait
Availability of equipment
The paperwork involved
However:
We insist that a request is made to SHAPES first
SHAPES will contact us if unable to
meet the request.
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

7. QUOTE - DISTRICT NURSE
“I didn't ask Shapes, it’s not worth it, it's a waste of time. There are just too many hurdles and delays. This patient needs a bed now. It's taken me ages to talk him into it and I want to strike while the iron's hot. Also he needs someone to move his existing bed, which Shapes will not do.”
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

8. CHALLENGES Obvious: Time involved Impact on those ‘on call’
Cost of purchasing/replacing
Maintenance costs
Cost of van – servicing, fuel, insurance etc
Limitations of storage facility
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

9. CHALLENGES Not so obvious:
Clinical Governance issues (risk management, staff training etc)
Demands on management time
Control of demand
Establishing criteria
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

10. BENEFITS Raised public awareness Early patient contact
Staff awareness of equipment in store and ability to assess patient needs
Improved professional relationships
Increased income
As a result of providing a profiling bed and nimbus mattress to a patient his wife has generously offered to pay for a new van with a tail-gate. This will be named ‘Tommy’s Truck’
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

11. EQUIPMENT LOANS
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

12. APPROXIMATE COST
We have calculated the approximate cost of providing the service which doesn’t include capital costs and depreciation
Salaries - £25K
Van – tax, insurance, servicing and fuel £3k
Cleaning products and materials - £100
Photocopying and paperwork - £50
Total: £28,150
The equipment has been valued at £49,750
The garage and land it stands on would probably be valued at £400k +
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

13. CASE HISTORY Friday afternoon – call from oncology ward
Patient has deteriorated and wants to go home to die.
Needs profiling bed, nimbus mattress and 24 hour nursing care
2 members of Care Management team visit home, rearrange furniture, set up bed, mattress and then assess patient/environment on his arrival in the ambulance
Other members of CMT arrange for 24 hour nursing cover
Patient dies at home in next 36 hours.
Wife pleased to have been able to honour
her husbands final wishes - she felt well
supported by PSF nurses.
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

14. QUOTES
We want to thank you and all your staff for the kind and caring way you all cared for our father in his last days. Also for providing us with the many items that helped with his care. You were one step ahead each time with the next needed equipment. We are very appreciative of your thoughtfulness.
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

15. Your cheerful, friendly approach helped us both so much.
I am writing to convey my heartfelt thanks for your help in providing the profiling bed for my late husband. 
I shall never forget you two assembling the bed and slipping him so neatly from his own bed – it was poetry in motion! What a difference it made. He was so comfortable.
The end, when it came a few days later, was so peaceful and you both, in no small way contributed to that. 
Your cheerful, friendly approach helped us both so much.
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

16. FUTURE AIMS
To undertake a cost/benefit analysis of the service – identifying and isolating the costs associated with providing the service against the benefits of increased donations, legacies, ‘In Memoriam’ etc received where equipment was provided.
Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron

17. Buffy Wheatley
Deputy Matron