The County Hospital children's ward has been transformed into a colourful magical wonderland thanks to a local artist. Nurses on the children's ward, inspired by the work of local artist, Tom Roberts, fundraised for the design of a mural, to create a welcoming, familiar, and colourful environment for the children they care for. The beautiful mural meanders through the corridors, playroom, treatment rooms and patient bays and gives a brighter outlook for the children, parents and staff. The mural gives the children a focal point to help distract them when having procedures, and helps aid their recovery by creating a…

When dealing with a chronic health condition or the management of persistent pain it is best to consult with a physiotherapist to find the best exercises that work for you. Persistent pain (over three months) should not be treated the same way as acute pain. Staying active and mobile Keeping active maintains fitness and improves physical and mental well-being, both of which are of critical importance in the management of pain.   An excellent resource by ‘HealthTalk’ challenges some of the myths related to pain and exercise. It includes videos and shared experiences of those living with persistent pain. Also,…

Although it is safe to continue some DMARDs during the time of a surgery, some others may need be stopped at the discretion of the surgeon and/or after discussion with the Rheumatology team. Oral steroids (Prednisolone) should be taken at the lowest dose possible to reduce the risks of infection and delayed healing. Do not stop steroid tablets abruptly.Do not increase or reduce your dose without consultation with your GP or Rheumatology team. Biologic medication should be stopped before and after surgery under the advice of the Rheumatology team. Please seek advice from the Rheumatology Advice Line on how to…

Research regarding people who have persistent pain suggests that the greatest long-term benefits are felt by those who keep practising relaxation, pacing and a gentle fitness programme, but when you have persistent pain, managing these and ‘everyday’ activities can be very difficult. It might feel like the pain is in control. There can be traps to fall into; pushing through pain, avoiding activity, or falling into a ‘boom and bust’ cycle.   For more information, helpful tips and experiences shared by other people dealing with chronic health conditions and/or persistent pain visit the Health Talk website. What is Pacing? Pacing…

Sands | Saving babies' lives. Supporting bereaved families Baby Loss Charity: for Bereaved Parents & Families (lilymaefoundation.org) The Miscarriage Association: Pregnancy loss information and support Together, for every baby - Charity for Babies | Tommy's (tommys.org) The Lullaby Trust - Safer sleep for babies, Support for families

Welcome to our paediatric outpatient department and Children's Ward.  The Paediatric department (Children's ward) provides inpatient and outpatient treatment of medical and surgical conditions, in children from birth up to the seventeenth birthday. The Children's ward deals with medical conditions and also provides facilities for many surgical specialties. The majority of children needing surgery can be treated in Hereford.  However, surgery in young children (generally under two years of age) and specialist surgery is referred to a specialist Children’s hospital, usually Birmingham. Both the medical and surgical specialties at The County Hospital have good links with Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Several…

Reduced fetal movements describes a reduction in the usual amount of movements your baby makes, a loss of movements or weaker movements.  There are a few reasons why you might feel your baby’s movements have changed, if baby is in a different position, if you are in a different position or where the position of your placenta is, for example, if your placenta is at the front of your tummy then you might feel less movements. You will probably have started to feel your baby move from around 16 to 20 weeks of pregnancy and from around 32 weeks you…

Mindfulness Do you feel that you are in a daily battle with your pain? Is your mind full of thoughts, fears, frustrations or muddle? Do you feel like you are always rushing? Do you hate the idea of “accepting your pain” or “coming to terms with it”? Mindfulness can help you find a calmer way to live life despite having pain. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is merely paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.  It is based on meditation practice which helps you Allow your mind to settle more in the present moment…

There is now strong evidence to say that homebirth is as safe as giving birth in hospital with many other psycho-social benefits.  Hutton et al (2019) state that ‘The risk of perinatal or neonatal mortality was not different when birth was intended at home or in hospital’. The Birthplace Study which involved 17,000 cases showed that homebirth is just as safe as giving birth in hospital for second or subsequent births. A possible explanation for this is that labouring in hospital is much more likely to involve interventions, which can interfere with normal physiology and cause further problems such as…

Inform the dental team of your Rheumatology condition and any medication that you may be taking. This is important as it can affect the choice of treatment or how it is carried out. If you are having an invasive dental procedure you will need to stop your biologic medication before and after the procedure under the advice of the Rheumatology team. Please seek advice from the Rheumatology Advice Line on how to do this, as different biologic medications have different time frames to stop. NRAS – Oral Health - https://nras.org.uk/resource/oral-health/