News items from May 2018
Message in a Bottle campaign launches at Leicester Royal Infirmary
It was great to be involved with the launch of the Message in a Bottle campaign at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday - attended by Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Jonathan Ashworth, MP for Leicester South.
Kerry and Jackie from the Support for Carers team attended the launch, which was led by Leicestershire Police and attended by a range of organisations including The Lions - who first introduced the Message in a Bottle scheme.
We've featured the life-saving Message in a Bottle campaign in our latest newsletter (page 6), which has gone out to over 4,000 carers in Leicestershire and is also available on our website.
Leicester Royal Infirmary is adopting the Message in a Bottle scheme as part of its discharge procedures. The scheme involves giving a plastic bottle to anyone with a serious medical condition. They simply complete the form inside the bottle, with vital medical and personal information, and keep the bottle in the fridge. Keeping this information handy, in a place where emergency responders will know where to look, will make a real difference in the event of a medical emergency or if a person with dementia goes missing for example.
Leicester Royal Infirmary are planning to give every elderly or vulnerable patient a bottle when they're discharged from hospital, and the bottles are also available from any police station in Leicestershire with a front desk, as well as Leicestershire County Council Libraries and many GP surgeries.
Mike Cawley from Leicestershire Police gave a talk to staff at the hospital, and Jonathan Ashworth MP visited wards at the hospital, as well as attending the launch. We also spoke to him about the vital work Support for Carers does to help carers throughout Leicestershire and how we're preparing for Carers Week.
Find out more in our newsletter
Find out more about the event on the Leicestershire Police website
Dementia Awareness Drop-in Day - 22 May
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust is hosting a drop-in day on the theme of dementia awareness on Tuesday 22 May at Charnwood Mill, Sileby Road, Barrow-upon-Soar, Loughborough, LE12 8LR between 10am and 4pm.
Support for Carers will be there so please come along and say hello to us and meet other organisations including Dementia UK, The Purple Angel Dementia Campaign, Alzheimer's Society and the Young Onset Dementia Service.
Anyone is welcome to drop-in at the event, which is being held as part of national Dementia Action Week. You'll be able to find out what services and support are available from the NHS and voluntary sector in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Admission and parking are free, with tea and cake provided.
To find out more email [email protected] or call 07748 791 434.
