Prime Minister recognises Milton Keynes nurses’ achievements

Three of the nursing staff from Milton Keynes Hospital met the Prime Minister recently when they were invited to 10 Downing Street to a reception to celebrate nurses in the NHS.

The afternoon reception was an exclusive gathering where the Milton Keynes team met the Prime Minister as well as the Health Minister, Ann Keen, and other senior figures from the ‘Commission for the Future of Nursing’.

Sara Hollis and Sue Dearlove were invited to represent the whole of the ward 17 team in recognition of winning the Nursing Times Team of the Year award in November. Cate Hillman, Head of Improvement accompanied Sara and Sue after nominating them for the award.

One of the team’s achievements has been the development of the Red Jug and Mug scheme, which is now being rolled out across the Trust.

As part of the scheme patients who may be at risk of not drinking enough fluids are given a water jug with a red lid and a red cup to highlight the fact that the individual requires assistance with consuming drinks.

According to national NHS figures many people who come into hospital are already dehydrated. Adequate hydration, as well as good nutrition, is essential for good health and for a patient's recovery. The red jug scheme is a simple way of ensuring that patients get assistance when they need it, to help prevent dehydration and to promote recovery.

The scheme is also helping to improve the dignity of frail people, as the design of the new water jugs means that they are lighter and easier for people to handle, so patients are more able to pour their own drinks. The red cups are also designed to enable easier grasp of the handle. Feedback from patients and relatives has been tremendously positive.

It was formally launched by Dame Christine Beasley, Chief Nursing Officer for England as one of eight “High Impact Actions for Nursing and Midwifery”, published nationally in November 2009.

Sara Hollis, Ward Sister on Ward 17 at Milton Keynes Hospital, helped develop the scheme for her patients. She said:

“We were delighted by the feedback we got from our patients and their relatives about how the red jugs were helping them to stay hydrated. We know that not getting enough fluids can have a negative impact on they way people recover and for those who find it difficult to drink we wanted to make it easier for them to both drink themselves and get assistance from the staff on the ward.

“Receiving national recognition for the scheme has been really exciting and, of course, going to Number 10 and meeting Gordon Brown was a real highlight. He was very friendly and everyone we spoke to was really interested in our scheme and the work we have been doing here on Ward 17. It really is great to see other hospitals looking at the success we have had and considering rolling out the red jugs to improve their care too.”