NHS staff team to take on Ben Nevis for charity

NHS staff are set to take on Ben Nevis in a 10K charity challenge for dementia care.
Mike and MaggieMike and Maggie
Mike and Maggie

Doctors, nurses, matrons and managers from Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have signed up to conquer Britain’s highest mountain this summer in a bid to raise £10,000 for dementia care.

The charity challenge to scale Ben Nevis, which is being spearheaded by the trust’s Chairman Mike Viggers and Deputy Director of Nursing Dr. Maggie Davies, will raise money for Love Your Hospital, the trust’s dedicated charity.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Maggie said: “Giving the very best of care to all our patients including those most vulnerable living with dementia is a key priority for all of the staff at the trust. Being part of the team who will be trekking Ben Nevis and raising funds for this important work is a great privilege, and I’m really looking forward to supporting such a great cause.”

Funds raised will help further improve dementia services at St Richard’s in Chichester, Worthing Hospital and Southlands Hospital in Shoreham.

Last year the trust was awarded an overall “Oustanding” rating by the Care Quality Commission and inspectors praised the ‘very good, personalised care’ for patients living with dementia.

Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has dementia teams which provide specialist training to staff and dementia-friendly rooms, art therapy packs and other cognitive stimulation activities are available for patients.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Frances Usher-Smith, Matron for dementia, says there are plans to provide further support for both dementia patients and their carers across all three hospitals.

She said: “Our aim is to create more dementia-friendly areas for patient and carers to access during their time with us. We’ll also continue to provide new and alternative therapies to help people with dementia reconnect with long-term memories, and help to reduce any fear or anxiety they may be experiencing.

“The funds raised from Love Your Hospital’s Ben Nevis Charity Challenge will be instrumental in helping our wards achieve this.”

The trek group, which includes the trust’s Chief Executive, are calling themselves the ‘Hospital Hikers’ and will travel to Scotland on May 19 to complete the challenge.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To support the Hospital Hikers as they fundraise for dementia care, visit: loveyourhospital.org/hospitalhikers, look out for collection pots at main hospital entrances or call Love Your Hospital on 0800 028 4890.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage

2) Like our Facebook page

3) Follow us on Twitter

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

Always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.

Related topics: