20 November 2019
A new Swan Room for patients who are receiving end of life care has been officially opened at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) – and will feature a chair bed so relatives can stay overnight with their loved ones.
The room, which also features a stunning ceiling mural, was opened on Ward 22RE (Respiratory) by the Head Boy and Head Girl from The Priory School in Shrewsbury, Max Rutter and Lottie Etterley, and the family of former patient, Jean Mary Beels.
The Priory School raised more than £3,700 during their charity year, which was donated to the Trust’s Swan Fund, which enables improvements to be made in end of life care. Jean was cared for on Ward 22RE and her family also made a donation to the Swan Fund in her memory.
The room will be used for patients who are at end of life, and their families, to give them privacy and dignity.
The new Swan Room has been transformed by the Trust’s Estates team which has painted the walls in calming colours – and installed four LED lit ceiling tiles featuring natural sky scenes.
As well as the new skylight, a new chair which can convert into a bed has been purchased for the room to enable relatives to stay overnight with their loved ones. A plaque has also been put up as a thank you to Jean’s family and the Priory School.
It is the 23rd Swan Room to have opened across the Trust, which also runs Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
Jules Lewis, End of Life Care Facilitator for SaTH, said: “It is thanks to donations like these from The Priory School and Jean’s relatives, that we are able to make a difference at the hardest of times.
“We have spent some of the donation on a LED sky light, as well as a chair bed for when family members want to stay with their loved ones.
“None of these things would be possible if it wasn’t for such kind donations. They are helping us to make a real difference and we would like to thank them for making this possible.”