The future is bright for Victoria Hospital

Victoria Hospital in Deal has started 2022 with a bang by not only welcoming three new members of the nursing team but has seen more than £150k worth of investment in creating a sustainable future.

As part of the Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) sustainability strategy, the trust has installed 284 solar panels at the hospital.

This will help the trust to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced to run the hospital by 40 per cent (30,000 kilos), the equivalent of travelling from Deal to London, a distance of 83 miles, 682 times a year.

KCHFT also aims to develop Victoria Hospital as a hub of community care by further extending the use of the site to other healthcare providers, including social prescribing. Discussions are also underway with the voluntary sector in Deal to make sure support groups have a space at the heart of hospital.

Deal is now the home for three new recruits from Nigeria who have joined the nursing team at Victoria Hospital after a successful international recruitment campaign appointing 19 new nurses.

Dr Mercia Spare, Chief Nurse at KCHFT said: “Our community hospitals are at the heart of healthcare, providing a range of services from dementia care to urgent treatment centres. The site was transferred to KCHFT ownership in 2021 and we are committed to making sure the hospital is a focus of community care in Deal now and in the future. Recruiting high calibre nurses and improvements to the hospital for patients and staff are just the beginning.”

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Trained nurses Damilola Adesina, Temitope Adewunmi and Yetunde (Yetty) Alao have been through an additional six weeks of training and a practical exam since touching down here in Kent. As highly qualified individuals, the trio are able to use their community health experience to provide outstanding care and have already received a warm welcome from the wonderful residents of Deal.

Talking about her new role, Yetty said: “I had a vision to go to England where I could practice nursing and learn from the best international standards. I saw the information about KCHFT online and I was attracted to the community side of the job. Everyone at the hospital is lovely and I have already gained so much knowledge. The patients are also lovely, we have been listened to and treated with respect by everyone.”

The amazing health care staff and a group of volunteers at Victoria Hospital have also been hard at work revamping a garden area which now provides a dedicated space for patients, visitors and staff to use.

Kerry Lee, Health Care Assistant and Sue Turner, Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children saw the potential in the unloved gardens and gathered a team of volunteers together to help clear the grounds creating a peaceful space for staff to take a break and be used by patients.

The garden will also provide ongoing therapeutic treatments for patients through potting and planting sessions and improve gardening skills, as well as a place to relax with visitors.

Sue will be setting up a volunteer group to provide ongoing light maintenance of the garden throughout the year. If you would like to volunteer email Sue on sueturner1@nhs.net.