With the creation of a ‘visiting pod’ – a specially-built room with a perspex screen – patients at Woodlands Neurological Rehabilitation Centre have been able to enjoy precious meetings with their loved ones during lockdown in the security of COVID-19 safe surroundings.
“We have tried so hard to be reactive to patients’ needs throughout the pandemic and the fast-changing situation, and were all too aware that visits from families are vital for their mental wellbeing,” reflects Dr Marina Platts, clinical director at Woodlands, in York.
“We had some workmen in the building at the time, so wondered whether we could create a little place where families and patients could get together in a safe way.
“Through the creation of our visiting pod, that was allowed to happen, at a time when most other places couldn’t accommodate it. Thankfully, through us having a side entrance right next to the pod, families could come and go without coming into contact with anyone else.
“We were very responsive to the feedback as well – while families were very complimentary about the idea, they said it was quite hard to hear through the screen, so we installed an intercom, which really made a difference.
“I’m really pleased we did that, I think that has been so important to so many patients and their families.”
And while the visiting pod was a measure which created an instant boost for patients, the work going on behind the scenes to strengthen the relationships between Woodlands and local medical partners – the Vale of York and Scarborough and Rydale CCGs, alongside York Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where Dr Platts is a consultant – ensured the centre has remained at the forefront of new developments.
“We’ve been really pleased at how embedded we’ve been in the local health community throughout the pandemic, and how supportive our partners have been of us,” says Dr Platts.
“We’ve worked very collaboratively. We’ve had the support with COVID testing for patients from the hospital, as well as with quick turnaround for swabs and blood tests. Not long into the pandemic, when PPE was difficult to get, they gave us a whole batch of long-sleeved gowns and FIT tested our staff for PPE3 masks.
“As a rehabilitation centre, we’re not an acute hospital or a care home, so we weren’t covered by specific guidance and there was a danger of us falling through the cracks. So with the vaccination programme, for example, the relationships we have were very important in securing this for our staff and patients.
Woodlands’ new ‘visiting pod’
“There has been very quick turnaround of funding to enable us to admit new patients, which has helped to take them out of hospital into a more appropriate environment for them, so we have played our role too.
“We are a big believer in working together with our healthcare partners and others. We make sure we thank everyone who helps us on Twitter, as well as in person, and the message always comes back that they’re happy to help. I think everyone is trying to do their best and by pulling together and working in collaboration, we’re all helping each other.”
And despite the restrictions, meaningful rehabilitation has continued at Woodlands, a level two neurorehabilitation centre which takes patients, the vast majority of whom are NHS-funded, from three local Yorkshire CCGs.
“We’ve been as dynamic as possible and have still been able to discharge patients during the past few months, we certainly haven’t rested on our laurels,” says Dr Platts.
“We’ve continued the rehabilitation pathways of our patients, but in a different way. We did rehabilitation work in the centre, alongside therapy-led home visits and outdoor mobility work, throughout the period to as great an extent as the Government guidelines allowed. In the early days, the senior team here were meeting every day to establish what that meant and how far we could go.
“We’ve always been committed to doing what is best for the individual patient, while being mindful of our duty of care to our other patients.”
The investment in Woodlands – owned by Christchurch Group, part of Active Care Group – has continued too, despite the pandemic.
“In the past couple of years, there have been big changes here, we’ve gone from more of a respite centre to a very active acute neurorehab environment,” says Dr Platts, whose arrival helped spearhead the change.
“We’ve invested in everything from safer beds and mattresses through to the full refurbishment of our independent living flat, which took place over the past few months, and the ongoing addition of new equipment.
“We are now operating a high-quality rehab centre and will continue to invest and built on our progress even further. The future is looking very positive for us.”
