Issue 31

For the special 10th year Anniversary Issue we asked some members of staff who have seen the changes at Caswell to share some of their stories with us.  Here is ....

Questions to Andrew.S

The following questions were put to Andrew S:

What were your thoughts and feelings when embarking on the commissioning of the male assessment ward?

"A great opportunity as service development is something that doesn't happen every day. I was pleased to be allocated all of my time to the project and not be distracted by other issues."

How long did it take to complete the 14 transfers?

"Over the following weeks patients were gradually transferred to Tenby ward."

What was the most difficult aspect of the task?

"The biggest challenge was communication. How would a new ward team and group of patients work together? So I literally covered the ward office in the role and function document so we could refer to it and had lots of community meetings with patients. Everybody had a say and consistency became a key theme."

What did you enjoy about managing the ward?

"The atmosphere. I enjoyed the relationships with patients and staff, working through issues and helping to create a ward community."

How has your experience on Tenby ward prepared you for your current role?

"Its helped me realise how important it is to support patients when they return to Wales and Caswell clinic from other units. There is no such thing as a small thing. Whether it's how to organise family visits or what property you can have, can make such a difference in planning good transfers of care. Information is so important and not to assume that patients know how things get done and why."