Each year, Mercy Hospital receives a generous donation from the Marjorie Barclay Trust to purchase items that would benefit Mercy patients.
Dr Marjorie Barclay was a Dunedin philanthropist and former radiologist and through her charitable trust has made grants of over $6.5 million, mainly to Otago organisations. Born in 1899, Ruth Marjorie Cruickshank Barclay enrolled at the Otago Medical School near the end of the World War 1, and became, in 1923, one of only a few female medical graduates in the country. She entered the relatively new field of diagnostic radiology and, after further overseas training, she was, in 1931, appointed diagnostic radiologist to the Otago Hospital Board, also lecturing at the medical school. She died in Dunedin in 1978, having bequeathed her estate to form the trust.
Supporting our patients both in Theatre and on the Ward was the focus of the items purchased with the generosity of the Marjorie Barclay Trust in 2019.
Drive Hybrid Power Mattress
From a patient comfort perspective, extended periods of immobility and bed rest raises a very real risk of pressure sore/s development. The breakdown of patients' skin, primarily due to body weight pressure on bedding etc. can be a very painful and not without risk to life and limb event. Any opportunity to reduce the risk of such sores developing is a valuable clinical opportunity indeed. To this end, Mercy has purchased two specialised ‘pressure reducing mattresses’ (Drive Hybrid Power Mattress). Such mattresses create a ‘floating - pressure less’ surface for those patients at risk.
Haelvoert Domus Sofa Bed
From a young patient’s family perspective, comfort and ability to sleep overnight is difficult to achieve within an inpatient ward setting. While a number of older Lazy-boy chairs are available to our sleep-over whanau, a comfortable night is not assured. Again, an opportunity to enhance the resting experience of the young patient’s parents is not only great for the parent but also for the young patients general well-being. The identification of a new age sofa-bed has proven to be a very real game changer in this regard. Three Haelvoet Domus sofa beds are now well established within the operational environment of our McAuley ward, serving those using them very well.
Hovermatt Lateral Transfer Mattress
From a staff safety perspective, the risk of injury from moving and shifting unconscious and often heavy patients is a very real and ever present risk to staff. Within the theatre environment, patients being transferred from and to operating tables is always challenging, especially with the larger patient. Welcome the Hovermatt Lateral Transfer Mattress. Hovercraft technology application within a patient setting eases the effort and risk associated with moving unconscious and/or immobilised patients. While the average patient is blissfully unaware of its application, the staff rave about it. This technology will significant reduce and prevent staff injury and physical discomfort that occurs from such patient handling activity.
Sonopet – Ultrasonic Aspirator
The Sonopet – Ultrasonic Aspirator by Stryker is one of the machines of choice for neurosurgery. It is used for soft tissue (tumour) ablation and fine bone dissection. In one high-performance surgical aspirator, you get unparalleled control in soft-tissue applications – plus the nuances power you need for fine bone dissection. The Sonopet is currently used by only our Neurosurgeons but we have also had interest from the ENT surgeons.
Items purchased over the previous years include:
- Contribution towards development of the legendary Mercy Room Service
- Lazy Chairs for McAuley Ward and Mercy Cancer Care
- Privacy doors, external deck and comfortable outdoor furniture for patients and family in Mercy Cancer Care
- A child’s corner and TV/Music system for Manaaki