From putting on a fun – and competitive – game of bingo for recovering patients, to buying iPads to support people to give their feedback, Walsall Healthcare’s Well Wishers charity has lent a helping hand to the Critical Care Rehabilitation Team.

The charity attended a recent Meet and Mingle session where former critical care patients and their families are able to get together to share their experiences, ask questions about their care and help each other through their continuing recovery.

Kimberly Aplin, Fundraising Support Officer, put on a bingo event which proved a popular activity.

She said: “Everyone really got into the swing of it – even those who had never played bingo before – and it’s fair to say it was quite competitive at times too!

“This was a great event for the charity to be involved in as it gave us a chance to find out more about the work of our wonderful Critical Care Rehabilitation Team and hear from the patients it supports.”

Well Wishers has also bought a couple of iPads to help the team gather feedback.

Georgie Westley, Fundraising Manager, said: “The charity has worked closely with the team and is always happy to support where it can. We know that feedback is really important so that enhancements or improvements can be made and these iPads will help the team gather people’s views.”

Xana Marriott, Senior Sister for Critical Care Rehabilitation, said the charity’s support was “invaluable.”

“We wanted to bring some fun to our Meet and Mingle session and the bingo game gave us all a giggle and, as Kim says, brought out some competitive streaks too.

“Capturing feedback is one of the most effective ways that we can work to shape services to best meet the ongoing recovery needs of our patients, as well as their families, so the charity’s donation is invaluable.”

Walsall Healthcare’s Critical Care Rehabilitation Team supports Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients following a period of critical illness and this includes COVID-19 survivors, those who have had surgery, and those who have been through major trauma.

The team is there to provide physical and psychological support to adults of all ages and works with hundreds of patents, and their families, every year. It is made up of Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists and Dietitians as well as Nurses to ensure a multi-disciplinary approach