Children needing care at Ormskirk District General Hospital are benefiting from brand new equipment thanks to local health insurer Medicash and children’s charity MedEquip4Kids.

Medicash teamed up with the Manchester-based charity to donate four pulse oximeters which are used to measure the oxygen saturation and pulse rate of any child visiting the unit. They are particularly beneficial for the thousands of children treated on the unit each year for asthma, bronchiolitis and winter bugs. The demand for them is high, especially at busy times, and hospital staff were struggling to find enough equipment. This equipment has helped to enhance the care of these patients.

Alison Barben, Ward Manager, Lorraine Smith, HCA, Vicky Bunnage, MedEquip4Kids, Hendrix, Caroline Birtwell, Hospital Play Therapist, Millie, Andy Abernethy, Medicash, Emma Waterworth, Staff Nurse The pulse oximeters

Alison Barben, Ward Manager, Lorraine Smith, HCA, Vicky Bunnage, MedEquip4Kids, Hendrix, Caroline Birtwell, Hospital Play Therapist, Millie, Andy Abernethy, Medicash, Emma Waterworth, Staff Nurse

The pulse oximeters were funded thanks to a donation from Medicash Charitable Trust. MedEquip4Kids visited the hospital along with Medicash marketing manager Andy Abernethy. During the visit they met Millie, who had been on the unit for two days. Millie was suffering from tonsillitis as well as an unexplained rash, and had been quite poorly on admission, but was looking much brighter after two days of treatment.

Millie’s mum, Rebecca, said: “It’s great that the hospital has this new equipment available. It really gives us peace of mind to know we are being looked after properly. It makes you worry just a little bit less.”

Vicky Bunnage, Projects Co-ordinator for MedEquip4Kids comments: “We’re so grateful to Medicash for their contribution to allow us to provide this equipment. It’s great to hear how much benefit they’ve been to the children in Ormskirk.”

Medicash’s Andy Abernethy added: “We’re proud to be able to work with MedEquip4Kids to provide these new units. Although they are only small, I’m sure they will go a long way in improving the experience these children and their parents have on the unit during what can otherwise be a difficult and overwhelming time.”

The Medicash Charitable Trust makes regular donations to health-related charities and has given away in excess of £1m over the past 10 years.

To find out how you can help MedEquip4Kids, visit www.medequip4kids.org.uk.