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It's in the bag
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We are delighted to announce the launch of the VIP Red Bag Project across Wakefield.
Choice Support staff from Wakefield, in partnership with other local providers, have been awarded joint funding of £40,000 from the Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the NHS. The funding is to trial the provision of VIP Red Bags for adults with a learning disability in the Wakefield area. The VIP Red Bag project aims to improve healthcare outcomes through sharing information with healthcare staff and identifying those who require extra support.
Before the project, important documents such as hospital passports, Do Not Resuscitate forms and personal belongings were routinely mislaid or misused. These documents provide important information and explain how a person with a learning disability likes to be supported and what reasonable adjustments can be made to their care.
The VIP Red Bag holds all of these documents in one place. By providing the right information, healthcare professionals are better able to understand the person they are treating and can make adjustments to the care they provide. It is kept ready packed with everything a person may need to go to hospital, this includes anything that will support the person to be less anxious.
Recently, Vicky (Choice Support Homes Manager) supported Catherine to visit the hospital and have an X-ray. Because Catherine had all her important documents in her VIP Red Bag, the staff at the hospital were able to make reasonable adjustments so that Catherine received the best possible care according to her needs.
Vicky said: “The staff interacted with Catherine all the time and made it fun for her while she received treatment. Catherine needed an X-ray and the nurse phoned the department and asked if they could give Catherine additional support. They were very patient with her and interacted with her all the time. From that, we went back to the waiting room and were called in straight away to see the nurse for her results. This reduced the time that Catherine was at the hospital, which made her happy and reduced any anxiety. We have added this experience to her VIP passport so staff know how to support her if she needs another X-ray in the future.”
If you have a learning disability (aged over 14) and live in Wakefield, you can request a VIP Red Bag (or if you support someone and would like to request a VIP Red Bag on their behalf), please contact our Wakefield team: thevipredbag@choicesupport.org.uk
